SRIKAKULAM: Witnessing the financial crisis and other troubles faced by a family after the death of the family head due to chronic kidney disease (CKD) at a village in Uddanam region of Srikakulam district, an NRI had started health and related services in the village to save people from getting affected by kidney diseases.
Pullata Ram Kumar hailing from Bairipuram in Kaviti mandal, is working as plant in-charge in an oil and gas company in Muscat. He migrated to Muscat about 20 years ago. Upon learning that drinking water is one of the prime factors for the prevalence of kidney diseases in Uddanam region, he started donating reverse osmosis (RO) plants to a few villages in Uddanam region, including his native place.
On the occasion of his son’s birthday, he donates water plants to one village in Uddanam every year. Besides donating water plants, he also distributes water cans to the poor in the village free of cost. With the support of his friends in Muscat, he donates money to the CKD patients for medication, dialysis and treatment. He also organises medical camps every year for early detection of kidney disease in the native village.
"My cousin Samalla Hari Krishna died of CKD in 2013 at the age of 23 and today, even after seven years of his death, his family is still struggling in various forms including finance. Seeing the troubles faced by the family of my cousin, I had decided to contribute to the efforts for curbing the spread of CKD at least in a few Uddanam villages, including my native place. After discussing with medical experts, I had started donating RO plants," he explained.
Till date, he donated RO plants to Bairipuram, Bejjiputtuga and Mutyalapeta of Kaviti mandal, MS Palli of Kanchili mandal and Marripadu of Palasa mandal. Instead of celebrating his son Vedanth’s birthday, he is spending the amount on the RO plant, which costs Rs 3 lakh each. He said it gives him immense pleasure to help the villagers and thinks that people’s blessings are enough for his son.
Ram Kumar donated RO plant to the government high school at MS Palli in 2018, said school teacher Bhaskar Padi. He told TNIE that the plant has been running successfully since 2018 and meets the drinking water needs of 410 students in the school
A man with a golden heart
Instead of celebrating his son Vedanth’s birthday, Ram Kumar spends the amount on the RO plant, which costs Rs 3 lakh each. Till 90's, Till date, he donated RO plants to Bairipuram, Bejjiputtuga and Mutyalapeta of Kaviti mandal, MS Palli of Kanchili mandal and Marripadu of Palasa mandal