Dhenkanal: Kina Behera (57), one of the three green grocers who were critically injured in the wall collapse incident that claimed four lives at Alasua daily market in Dhenkanal June 9, is still battling for life as the government-assured help is yet to reach him.
A resident of Kanapal village under Tumusinga police limits in Kamakhyanagar block, Kina is under treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. He is yet to get any financial assistance either from the state government or from the local administration.
According to his family members his condition is going from bad to worse with each passing day as an operation is getting delayed due to financial constraints.
Kina suffered fractures in spinal cord and rib cage in the wall collapse mishap. Unable to sit after the incident, he was advised to undergo an operation for paving way to recovery.
“The operation cost is beyond our reach. So we have no other way but to see his condition deteriorating,” lamented his depressed family members.
As if not being able to arrange money for operation were not enough, the SCB authorities have told the family members that they cannot keep the patient any longer and that he would be discharged soon.
Kina’s son Muna Wednesday pleaded with the Dhenkanal collector to provide some help so that his father could be cured. The Chief Minister has also been intimated about Kina’s condition through a letter.
When contacted, district emergency officer Sasank Sekhar Mishra said, “After coming to know about Kina’s condition, we have contacted the SCB administrative officials, asking them not to discharge him.”
Next course of action would be decided after holding a discussion with the Collector, he said.
It may be mentioned here that after the incident, the administration appeared to be on its toe and a deluge of assurances and promises were made to the affected families. Even though at that time it seemed that the injured men — sole bread winners of their families — would get proper treatment and return to their work soon, so far it remains a distant dream.
The promises clearly have been forgotten with the days passed by, leaving the injured ones to fend for themselves.
PNN