india

Updated: Jun 07, 2019 08:24 IST

The ailing, incarcerated RJD chief Lalu Prasad has been facing water crisis at the paying ward of Rajendra Institute of medical sciences (RIMS) for the last few days, prompting sharp criticism from his party cadres.

Earlier, on the morning of May 26, Prasad suddenly complained of restlessness and suffocation. His condition had deteriorated after the air-conditioning of his room was shut down because of a power cut. After medical examination, the on-duty doctor took him out from the ward to a well-ventilated place. Prasad was taken back to his ward only after power supply was restored.

Following this, a delegation of the party demanded the RIMS administration to refer the party chief to some super-specialty hospital for better treatment. The delegation pointed out that there was mismanagement in water and electricity supply in hospital’s paying ward.

On Thursday, Kailash Yadav, state general secretary of RJD, said that despite assurances, hospital authorities had failed to provide basic amenities in the paying ward.

“ If conditions are abysmal in the paying ward, then how can poor patients expect good facilities in the general ward? When one among the country’s most popular leader is meted out such treatment, we can well imagine what happens with normal patients,” Yadav said.

He said RIMS director Dr DK Singh, when apprised of the situation, had said the hospital faced shortage of water and power due to erratic supply from the state government agencies.

RJD state president, Gautam Singh Rana, said Prasad’s health could deteriorate if authorities continued to behave irresponsibly. Prasad is suffering from a multiple ailments and had also undergone heart valve replacement surgery in 2018.

A private security guard at the hospital said Prasad’s ward did not have water supply for the last four days.

However, RIMS medical superintendent Dr Vivek Kashyap said water supply was disrupted for some time in Prasad’s ward because of some glitch in the pipeline and tap. A plumber had rectified the problem on Wednesday, and water supply was restored in Prasad’s ward, he said.