The Rajasthan consumer commission on March 1 imposed a penalty of Rs 48 lakh on a private hospital after a newborn had lost eyesight due to medical negligence.

A bench of Kamal Kumar Bagri and Meena Mehta gave the order on a plea by Anup Yadav against Sanjeevani Hospital in Kotputli town -- around 110 km north of Jaipur. Yadav's son was born premature and the hospital staff gave oxygen more than the prescribed limit, which contracted the retina of the eyes and led to blindness. Family members consulted other doctors but the problem was declared untreatable, a statement said. The bench found the hospital guilty of negligence and ordered the hospital management to pay Rs 48 lakh as compensation to the family.