civil Liberties strengthening the existing laboratories and has proposed the establishment of new, well-equip oed forensic laboratories to meet the growing demand. The seminal recommendaiims aim at ensuring independence of the forensic scientists and making them free from police control. Implementation of the recommendations contained in the report will lulfill a long felt need and help the criminal justice system by providing reliable scientifu evidence expeditiously. 3.89 The repcrt of the Core Group was released to the public on 11 June 1999 by Shri L.K. Advari, Union Home Minister, in the presence of Shri Dalit Ezhilmalai, then Minister of Stale for Health. Copies of the report were sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Chief Secretaries of States having forensic science laboratories for taking follow-up actioi. Copies of the report were also sent to the different States/Central Forensic Scienct Laboratories. 3.90 On 23 Drcember 1999, the Commission, wrote to the Ministry of Home Affairs, desiring to know the action taken by the Ministry in regard to the recommendations made in the report. TTie Ministry is yet to respond on this matter. The Commission would like to reiterate ts view that the Ministry of Home Affairs should initiate early action to implement the "ecommendations made in the report. LARGE VOLUME FARENTERALS: TOWARDS ZERO DEFECT 3.91 The Commission became seized of an important matter regarding the contamination cf life-saving I.V. fluids, which related to the health care of the citizenry of the country, ot receipt of a reference from the Himachal Pradesh State Human Rights Commission, Shimla. The Commission noted that this issue had wide implications, as it concerned the public health of the people of India, and indeed, to their right to life. 3.92 "l"he StateCommission had forwarded a copy of the complaint to this Commission, which had also ttien sue mom cognizance of a press report to the effect that contaminated life-saving fluidi were being administered to patients at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML). New Delhi. The Commission had issued a notice to the manufacturer and the Secretary, Union Ministry- of Health. Notices were also issued to the Chief Secretary- and I'rug Controller of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, and the Medical Superirtendeni of RML. 3.93 The Commission is of the view that the State has the duty to take all possible measures to ens.ire the maintenance of the highest standard of quality and purity of drugs at all sta^s—from manufacmre to the point of administration to the patients. 3.94 To exami»e the causes of the contamination of the dextrose bottle, ascertain the stages at which ire contamination occurred, fix responsibilities for the lapses and find measures to present the recurrence of such lapses, the Commission chose two eminent 4»