The Bombay High Court expressed concern on Friday after learning about patients suffering from food poisoning being treated on the street outside a hospital in Buldhana district, Maharashtra.
The court sought an affidavit from the state government regarding the incident.
The incident occurred on Tuesday night during the ‘Harinam Saptah’, a week-long religious event, at Somthana village in Lonar taluka, Buldhana district collector Kiran Patil had said earlier.
Around 150 individuals sought medical attention after experiencing food poisoning symptoms, exceeding the local hospital's capacity of 30 beds.
Government authorities claim the patients were treated immediately and discharged the following day, emphasising that their conditions were not critical.
However, the court raised questions about the safety and preparedness for handling large-scale emergencies.
Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya highlighted the potential risks involved in treating patients outdoors and inquired about the distance to the nearest district hospital in case of critical situations.
The state government, represented by P.P. Kakade clarified that the district hospital was 100 kilometres away and asserted that transfer arrangements were in place if necessary.
The court directed the submission of an affidavit detailing the incident and adjourned the hearing for ten days.
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