Distribution of the famous fish prasadam, believed to cure upper lung disorders started at 9am on Thursday at the Nampally exhibition grounds here. The distribution will go nonstop till 9 am on Friday.

The medicinal prasadam stuffed into live murrel fishlings is inserted into the throat of the patient during the two-day camp. The Bathini family provides the service free of charge, but the patients need to buy the fishlings from the state government run counter. While 35,000 fishlings have been sold till noon, the Telangana government is getting one lakh fishlings ready for sale.

Speaking to reporters, B Harinath Goud, secretary of the Bathini Mrigasira Trust said that there is a separate medicine to be taken with jaggery for vegetarians. “However one must strictly avoid 24 items that we suggest and adhere to the diet prescribed by us otherwise the fish prasadam will not give desired results,” he added.

The Telangana government has given 1000 strong police force and home guards to man the counters and the exhibition grounds for crowd control as the rush is expected increase by Thursday night.

TSRTC arranged special buses to Railway stations and bus stands for the benefit of patients from other parts of the country. Several social organizations have been supplying free food and water to the patients and their kin.