SRIKAKULAM: Jana Sena Party (JSP) chief Pawan Kalyan began his hunger strike at 5 pm on Friday at a resort where he is presently put up at Santa Seetarampuram of Etcherla mandal, about 20 km from Srikakulam. The strike camp will be shifted to Srikakulam on Saturday morning. This is as per the announcement made at Tekkali in support of the Uddanam area kidney victims.
Addressing newsmen here on Friday, JSP media incharge Hari Prasad said that the details released by the State government on the measures taken for the CKD people were found to be inaccurate. Though the conditions have improved from the time the JSP started focusing on the Uddanam issue, the improvement is not substantial, he added. Taking it very seriously, the JSP chief has decided to gJana Sena Partyo on fast.
However, after visiting Uddanam on the very first day of his Porata Yatra and conducting a meeting with the CKD victims at Palasa on Wednesday, Pawan Kalyan enquired about the services being offered by the State government.
As the venue is not yet finalised, the JSP chief started the hunger strike at the resort where he is presently put up. Hari Prasad said that the demands include continuous screening tests through mobile units in all Uddanam villages, deployment of nephrologists at all dialysis centres besides setting up of blood banks, free medication to all CKD people, pensions to all kidney victims, free transportation, safe drinking water to all households in Uddanam, research centre, special action team for close monitoring by the chief minister as in Sri Lanka, appointment of a health minister and declaration of health emergency at Uddanam. The Union government should respond on the issues of Uddanam CKD patients, adoption of Uddanam villages by MLAs and MPs, posting of nephrologists at Srikakulam RIMS and a super specialty hospital at Srikakulam for CKD people, he added.
Neither civic officials nor the police have given permission for the hunger strike till Friday evening.
When contacted, Srikakulam DSP V Bheema Rao said that prior to seeking permission of the police, they need to get permission from municipal officials for the venue.