Report sought from Punjab on free eye check-up camp: Nadda

The central government has sought a report from Punjab into the free eye check-up camp that left 15 people from Amritsar district without eyesight, Health Minister J.P. Nadda said Friday.

"We have asked for a report from the Punjab government. But as we have been told that the operations were done by some NGO and it did not have the permission from the state government, we are finding out the details of it," Nadda told the media outside parliament here.

At least 15 people lost their eyesight after undergoing cataract operation at a charitable hospital following a free eye check-up conducted by an NGO in Punjab's Gurdaspur district, about 250 km from here.

Enquiries are being made about the NGO, which is based in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh.

The people who lost their eyesight were all aged above 60 years. They were admitted to the Government Medical College hospital.

The Punjab government has also ordered a probe and announced an interim relief of Rs.1 lakh to each of the affected families.