Saalumarada Thimakka improving

"Saalumarada" Thimmakka, earned the prefix (which in local parlance means an avenue of trees) for her contribution to the environment by planting 284 banyan trees on either side of the road leading to her village, Hulikal in Bangalore rural district in Karnataka, a southern Indian State. Illiterate Thimmakka and her husband, late Bikkalu Chikkayya, nursed the trees for years bringing water from a distant place. Thimmakka wants to be reborn as a tree.

The condition of Saalumarada Thimakka, who was admitted to Apollo Hospital in Jayanagar on Tuesday, is improving.

Ravindra Mehta, senior consultant (Pulmonology), who is attending to her, told The Hindu on Wednesday that the environmentalist has been suffering from asthma for the past few years and had caught a weather-related pulmonary infection. “She is much better now. We will discharge her in a day or two,” he said.

Ms. Thimakka has planted several trees and participated in afforestation programmes. She is the recipient of numerous awards.

Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda called on her at the hospital and offered to meet her medical expenses. Meanwhile, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President G Parameshwara has asked Health Minister U.T. Khader to ensure that the expenses are borne by the State government.

Mr. Khader said, “In case of eminent personalities like Saalumarada Thimakka, hospitals should bear the expenses. However, if they can’t, the State government will step in.”