Health Min not aware of temple tragedy till Saturday

Health Minister Shivanand S Patil on Sunday said that he came to know about the prasada poisoning incident at Sulvadi village only on Saturday.

The minister was responding to questions of the reporters during the visit to the KR Hospital here to enquire about the health of survivors.

The incident had occurred on Friday afternoon.

Patil took severe exception to the statement by Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojary, who said there was negligence on the part of the government in treating the victims.

Speaking to reporters at the hospital, he said Poojary should not politicise the incident. The government and the officials had provided necessary treatment to the victims at the right time.

Poojary, who too visited the hospital on Sunday, said lack of ventilators, ambulances and basic facilities at government hospitals resulted in the deaths. He said there was a need to provide additional facilities at government hospitals in the districts, but the government was not bothered about it.

Poojary also demanded that the government increase the compensation to the kin of the deceased to Rs 10 lakh from Rs 5 lakh.

Denying the charges, Patil said the officials, as well as the government, responded immediately and there was no delay in attending to the victims. No deaths have been reported due to negligence. There was anxiety as more than 100 people fell ill at once, he said.

“Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy himself visited the hospital soon after the incident and there is no negligence on the part of the government in treating the patients. Poojary should not play politics in deaths,” he said.