THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as social activist Daya Bai’s health deteriorates, the state government is reluctant to give a clear assurance that her demands for better healthcare facilities for endosulfan victims will be met. It would be nineteen days on Wednesday since she started the hunger strike in front of the Secretariat.
At present, she is admitted to the General Hospital where she is put on intravenous fluids (IV). Her request to go back to the protest venue was rejected by doctors attending to her. “She is very tired. Her right leg is aching due to an injury she suffered while she was shifted to hospital the first time. Also, her right hand has become stiff and she has difficulties in stretching her hand,” said Ambalathara Kunjukrishnan, a member of the Endosulfan Samara Samithi, who met her at the hospital.
Meanwhile, the UDF leadership has extended its support to the agitation. The UDF leadership has decided to hold a protest march to the Secretariat on Saturday demanding justice for her.The UDF leaders under the aegis of state Congress president K Sudhakaran, Opposition Leader V D Satheesan and IUML general secretary P K Kunhalikutty visited Daya Bayi at the hospital. Satheesan later told the media that he would raise the issue with the chief minister.
Samithi’s explanation
The samara samithi alleged that the government has only given vague assurances to Daya Bai. On October 16, ministers Veena George and R Bindu had met Bai and accepted some of her demands. But the minutes of the meeting, issued upon the insistence of Bai, allegedly watered down the promises.
According to the Samithi office-bearers, the ministers had approved her demand for expert treatment facilities in five major hospitals. Also, it was decided to establish neuro speciality care centre at the district hospital. But the minutes document said: “medical college will be completed in a time-bound manner”, “plans are afoot to make the mother and child hospital functional in two months”, and that “necessary facilities will be arranged in other hospitals after inspecting them”.
According to the Samithi, the ministers had said that daycare centres will be opened for mentally challenged and the bedridden. But the minutes said this demand “will be considered.” The Samithi office-bearers said Daya Bai had told them that she would continue the protest until the government accepted the demands clearly.