Odisha Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak resigns over hospital fire tragedy

His resignation came after Union Health Minister J P Nadda pointed out faults in the safety measures at the Sum Hospital.

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak has submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the Sum Hospital fire tragedy where over 20 people perished in a blaze.
His resignation came a day after Nayak had admitted lapses in the fire safety measures at the hospital.

"There was lapse in the fire safety measures of the Sum Hospital. Action will be taken as per the provisions of the law," Nayak had said.

His statement had come a day after Union Health Minister J P Nadda pointed out faults in the safety measures in the facility.

Nayak was under tremendous pressure from the opposition to take responsibility for the shocking fire tragedy.

Importantly, his resignation has come even before the Odisha government receives reports of two separate inquiries being conducted by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner and Director of Medical Education and Training.

Earlier, the Director General of Fire Service Binay Behera had noted that Sum Hospital did not follow the fire safety norms.

Nayak, who has been accused by opposition parties of shielding Sum Hospital owner Manojranjan Nayak, said, "Police have arrested five officials, including the owner of the hospital, on the basis of an FIR by the Fire Service Department.

The fire tragedy, in the backdrop of the death of over 50 children due to Japanese Encephalitis in Malkangiri district, has come as a major ammunition for the opposition against the BJD government.