The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Karunanidhi’s action saves patients

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Monday, Dec 01, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Karunanidhi’s action saves patients

R.K. Radhakrishnan

He got patients shifted from Institute of Mental Health

CHENNAI: It was the swift action of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi that saved many more women patients from falling ill after consuming stagnant water at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), Kilpauk.

The Chief Minister acted at once on a suggestion on the night of November 28—the day scores of patients from the IMH were admitted to the Communicable Diseases Hospital—that the patients should be moved from there because of stagnant water and leaky roofs.

Four patients died at the IMH after consuming the water. The century-old buildings where they were lodged leak. The patients drink stagnant, greyish water from around 5 p.m. – when they are locked in after their dinner – till the next morning, when they are offered their breakfast.

The Public Works Department (PWD) had constructed a new building inside the IMH that was complete in all respects but for the provision of electricity.

Though it was complete, there was no sense of urgency on the part of the PWD to provide electricity connection and hand the building over, according to doctors who are familiar with the issue. It was suggested to the Chief Minister that this facility be used temporarily, till the rains abated.

Friday was a long day even by Mr. Karunanidhi’s standards – he began working at 4 a.m., reading through the fax messages that arrived in the early hours to his house from districts; he spoke to the Collectors and Ministers in charge of relief work in the the worst affected districts; undertook a whirlwind city tour to learn first hand about the damages; chaired a dozen meetings, including one on security in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks and attended to pressing party work.

He was also keeping tabs on the health of Veerapandi S. Arumugham, his close associate and Agriculture Minister, who was admitted to Apollo and had summoned to Chennai DMK’s Union Cabinet Ministers, T.R. Baalu and A. Raja, to discuss the flood situation in the State and the terrorist attacks.

After completing his discussions on the preparation of the report to be sent to Centre, Mr. Karunanidhi asked Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veeraswami to talk to Health Minister M.R.K. Paneerselvam about the IMH issue. Mr. Veeraswami, who had handled the Health portfolio in the previous DMK government, briefed Mr. Paneerselvam – who was then in Cuddalore helping with the relief efforts – on the emergency measures that could be taken at the IMH.

Mr. Paneerselvam rushed to the IMH the next day and enquired about the PWD building.

He briefed Mr. Veeraswami that the building was hospitable and was in much better shape than the existing facility though it did not have a power connection. Mr. Veeraswami talked to PWD Minister Durai Murugan on the need to hand over the building. Mr. Durai Murugan agreed. The keys were handed over in a matter of hours and the patients were shifted the same day.

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