MLA turns good samaritan, saves lives of 20 patients

Chief Minister's Political Secretary & MLA M P Renukacharya turned a good samaritan by bringing 24 jumbo cylinders from Southern Gas Agency in Harihar on May 12 midnight, and thus saved the lives of 20 Covid patients who are undergoing treatment at the government general hospital in Honnali town.

Averting a Chamarajnagar-like tragedy, the MLA travelled with the tahsildar and police to Harihar, which is at a distance of 40 km from Honnali, and brought the cylinders.

Hospital medical officer Chandrappa phoned the MLA around 12:00 midnight on May 12, and told that they were facing a shortage of oxygen, and patients may die if oxygen is not brought in two to three hours.

The MLA went to the hospital immediately and saw the conditions of patients by wearing personal protective equipment. He called the deputy commissioner from the hospital and asked him to arrange for oxygen cylinders.

Later, he went to Southern Gas Agency in Harihar along with Tahsildar Basana Gouda Kotur, and Circle Police Inspector Devaraj with empty cylinders and got them refilled and returned to the hospital at around 2:30 am. The patients who were in need of oxygen got it in time and survived.

The hospital staff stated that the MLA broke down after seeing the death of a Covid patient in his presence in the hospital. He instilled confidence in the remaining patients, and left the hospital to bring oxygen cylinders.

The MLA also conquered the hearts of the people by breaking the lock of the vaccination centre at Ambedkar Bhavan, and thus helped people to get vaccine who had been standing in queue for hours together. Though the people were waiting in a queue to get the vaccine, the centre was not opened as the key was lost.

After learning about this, the MLA broke the lock with the help of an iron rod, and opened the room.