Gold biscuits to our cash-rich MLAs but not a single penny to ailing 'Saalumarada' Thimmakka

'Saalumarada' Thimmakka has single-handedly strived to plant over 350 trees She has been conferred with innumerable awards and has also featured among the 100 most influential women ranked by BBC She has been admitted to hospital for respiratory problems

While Environmentalist Saalumarada Thimmakka is struggling to pay her rising medical bills at a private hospital, the state government - that had promised to take care of her - has unashamedly proposed to gift the legislators with gold biscuits and other expensive gifts. These gifts are planned to celebrate the golden jubilee year of the Vidhana Soudha.

Centenarian Saalumarada Thimmakka (105) who has been featured as the BBC's 100 most influential women in 2016 has been admitted to the hospital for respiratory problems. She single-handedly contributed a great deal to ensure greenery around Bengaluru.

Recognising her efforts, the state government has showered with many awards and also made many promises. But so far, nothing has reached Thimmakka.

Thimmakka, a widow, has no one but her adopted son - Umesh - to depend on. Women and Child Welfare Minister Umasrhee had promised on the floor of the House that the government would take care of Saalumarada Thimmakka. But it's been a week since Thimmakka was admitted to the hospital and no one has yet turned up to see her.

In fact, this was not the first time that Thimmakka was given a raw deal by the Siddaramaiah government. Earlier too, the government had promised to provide Rs 15-acre land and Rs two crore funds. But those promises have remained only on paper, and whenever the media highlights Thimmakka's plight, the government offers yet another promise and conveniently forgets.

Umesh, Thimmakka's adopted son, told Bangalore Mirror that the government has been promising to bear her treatment cost, but no money has been paid to her. It is reported that with no help from any quarter, Thimmakka had to pledge her gold medals to pay off the medical dues.

However, it was BJP corporator AH Basavaraju who paid the bills and recovered the medals. Also, Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar had paid Thimmakka's entire medical bill, last year reports Bangalore Mirror.  But no help has arrived from the Siddaramaiah government, rues Umesh.