THE TIMES OF INDIA, BANGALORE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2011 TIMES CITY 7

Manipal docs relive the day K Sunil Prasad

Villagers left high & dry near BIA
Jayashree Nandi | TNN
Md Asad

Horrific Tragedy
Brought Out The
Best In Staff
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Bangalore: Ninety minutes. 69
patients. Nine brought in dead.
A group of 60 doctors and 140 para
medical staff of Manipal Health
Enterprise threw themselves into
the immediacy of the job, treat-
ing the victims of fire and smoke
as Carlton Towers burned away.
It was February 23, 2010.
Within no time, the confer-
ence room was turned into an
emergency ward. “It was our
own staff who was passing by
who informed us about the
tragedy. We did not know the se-
riousness of the issue then. The
first patient came in an au-
torickshaw at 4.45 pm. Then 68
persons were brought in. We
could deliver the best treatment
IRREPARABLE LOSS: The family of Fayaz Pasha who lost his life in the
Carlton fire tragedy at the memorial service organized by Manipal
Hospital in Bangalore on Wednesday
at the right time. It was just a
humanitarian response to the
cause,” says Dr Nagendra
Swamy, director of the hospital.
‘HAVE SENSE AND SENSITIVITY’
“The curiosity of the public
might lead to a loss of life in such
emergency cases. Though the
hospital was just 100 yards away,
ambulances took time to reach
it. The traffic jam on Old Airport
Road that day was scary, and the
crowd was interfering with the
treatment. But luckily, we could
save all the patients who were
brought here alive. Nine patients
were brought dead and another
60 patients were treated,” said
Dr Sudarshan H Ballal, medical
director, Manipal Hospital, for
whom the entire experience was
an eye-opener.
It is one of the rare cases
where the government has not
delayed in paying the treatment
cost to all patients admitted to
Manipal Hospital. The helpline
set up by the hospital was the
best service rendered, which rel-
atives of the survivors remem-
ber even today.
ANGELS IN DISGUISE
Dr Ashwini PR, manager - cus-
tomer relations, Manipal Hos-
pital, was the single contact
point for the survivors after they
were discharged. The hospital
followed up some of the critical
cases till April.
Post-disaster distress syn-
drome affected many patients,
who were brought back for coun-
selling. Dr Sham Bhat, consult-
ant psychiatrist who had just re-
turned from UK after higher
studies, was in charge of the
counselling and dealt with
shocked patients, whose only
thought was: “Why me?”
Shiv Raj, 25, a lecturer, was
passing by Carlton and heard the
screams. Raj entered and got stu-
ck there. “Though he was discha-
rged after two days, he had to un-
dergo treatment for breathing pro-
blems, due to the excessive smoke
he had inhaled. They were many
like him, who needed emotional
support. He even referred to me
as his ‘mother’ after his treatment
got over,” said Dr Ashwini.
Dandeganahalli: Just a
stone’s throw away from the
Bengaluru International
Airport (BIAL) is Dande-
ganahalli village in North
Bangalore.
It is one of those many
villages surrounding Ban-
galore, where groundwater
levels have plummeted about
1,000 feet. People are seeking
relief in borewells, which are
yielding very little water.
Dandeganahalli and sur-
rounding villages that
thrive on grape, tomato,
mulberry, carrot and pota-
to cultivation is now faced
with withering crops, re-
sulting in low yield.
Worse, the fluoride con-
tent in the water from some
of the borewells has risen
way beyond the normal lev-
el of 1.5 mg/l to 4.5 mg/l.
But that is not the biggest
concern for these villagers
who just don’t get enough
water to sustain their daily
activities.
“The area under culti-
vation in most farms has
gone down by almost 75%.
Some borewells are dug as
low as 1,150 feet. There is no
recharge of underground
PARCHED THROATS: Members of the People’s Campaign for
Right to Water — Karnataka, stage a demonstration in front
of Town Hall, opposing the US Water Trade Mission to India
and water privatization in Karnataka on Wednesday
aquifers due to lack of rain-
fall. And, since groundwa-
ter is being pumped from
such depth, the amount of
minerals and other ele-
ments like fluoride in the
water is bound to be high-
er,” said P Rajanna, who
owns a two acre grape or-
chard in the region.
President of Koramang-
ala Gram Panchayat, Muni
Byrappa, says that no permi-
ssion is required to dig bor-
PILOT PROJECT
To address the fluoride
problem, M V Sastri, a
professor of Nelamangala
Engineering College, has
embarked on a pilot
project with the help of
solar thermal energy. The
water is first put through
a Magnetic Variable
System water purification
and then under sunlight
magnification and vapour
system water
purification. Through this,
fluoride, sodium,
chloride, lead,
magnesium are removed.
This has come as a boon
to these villagers.
DRY ZONE
Dandeganahalli is spread
ewells. “There are more than
across 1,500 acres and is
a hundred borewells in this
home to 100-odd families.
village alone, but farmers
The surrounding villages
still don’t find water,” he said.
like Harahalli have also
Poor farmers like P Mu-
been hit by severe water
niraj, who does sericulture,
crisis. Devanahalli is one
get water once every three
of the driest zones in the
days. “We have power just
state. There is more
for four to six hours a day.
stress on water in the
So, pumping water also be-
area, as many
comes difficult,” he said.
apartments and
Most villagers think its
industries have come up
high time the area got a
all along that zone.
steady water source.

Victims of tragedy towers thank firemen

TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Bangalore: It was a unique get-together
on Thursday at Manipal Hospital, where
friends and relatives of the Carlton tragedy
victims recalled that deadly Tuesday, ex-
actly a year ago, which took away their
loved ones.
For Brijesh D, a close friend of Akhil
Uday, childhood memories came flooding
in as he recalled the unforgettable moments
he had spent with him. “Akhil was fond of
computers. He loved basketball. Racing was
his favourite hobby,” Brijesh said.
“Benzie’s death made me walk around
aimlessly for some days. She lives in heav-
en...,” said Desmond Snell, Benzie Kumar’s
brother. Benzie had jumped to death on
that fateful day, when fire engulfed the tow-
ers. It was also a thanksgiving meet, with
survivors meeting doctors of Manipal
Hospital, who had healed them.
SALUTE TO FIREMEN
“Many of my relatives asked why fire per-
sonnel should be awarded when they did
NO WORDS TO EXPLAIN: Husband and
children of Benzie Kumar who lost her life
in the fire tragedy in 2010
not save my only son. But I don’t agree. I
have lost my son, yes. But firefighters have
been saving many families with their brave
work. They are the real heroes. We must
salute them,” said Uday Vijayan, who lost
his son, Akhil.
Beyond Carlton facilitated three fire-
fighters — K T Prakash, Mudaseer Hus-
sain and Venkatesh G, who played a ma-
jor role in saving lives during the tragedy.
Quite aptly, it was the survivors who
honoured the firefighters, paying respect
to their courage. “I was one among the
many who were stuck inside the building.
It was a firefighter who dragged me out
and saved me. I am alive because of the ef-
forts of that courageous man, who I have
not seen, and so I am honouring the best
of them,” said Nitin Dubey.
The association had organised a free
health check-up camp for fire personnel
and their family members on Wednesday.
GREEN MEMORIAL
The nine victims of Carlton Towers will
take rebirth as evergreen plants. Beyond
Carlton has approached BBMP to build a
memorial inside a park located next to Carl-
ton Towers on Old Airport Road. “The me-
morial will have nine saplings planted in
the name of each of the victims. It will also
have a memorial stone. The place must re-
mind everyone about the tragedy and cre-
ate awareness at the same time,” said Nitin
Dubey, a member of Beyond Carlton.

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TIMES NEWS NETWORK

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