Tuesday night’s rush notwithstanding, the number of takers for fish ‘prasadam’ this year fell short of the expectations of the organisers.
When distribution of tokens began Monday, several thousands sprinted to the distribution area in Exhibition Grounds and queued up in minutes, surprising the big gathering of policemen. The crowds, however, thinned hours later, and people mainly from the city, trickled in only on Tuesday.
By evening, about 54,000 mural fingerlings were sold, said officials of the fisheries department.
The distribution continued till 11.45 p.m. The department had arranged 1.3 lakh mural fingerlings. Last year, around 58,000 people availed fish ‘prasadam’. The organisers have been announcing at the venue that arrangements were made for five lakh people.
The distribution was also marred by the death of K. Basvaraj, 65, of Belgaum, Karnataka, on Monday afternoon. Basvaraj had come to the city on Sunday and camped at the distribution venue like several others. He developed asthma attack around 2 p.m. and died before the ambulances stationed could transport him to a hospital.
Incidentally, he had taken the medicine two times in the past. For the city’s people who arrived on Tuesday, the fish prasdam has been beneficial.
“I have taken it once before and it has helped reduce the severity of my breathlessness,” said M. Rajsekhar Rao, who along with his family came to take the medicine. “It is important to follow the regimen prescribed, for the medicine to work,” he said, when asked about its effectiveness.
It is important
to follow the regimen prescribed, for the medicine to work
