HDK opens his purse strings for crippled woman

MANGALORE: The despair in Vijayalaxmi Shetty's eyes has given way to hope, after former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy assured her that he would do his best to see her and her children rehabilitated.
Vijayalaxmi (32) lost control over her upper and lower limbs following a fall 40 days ago. A resident of Kalmadka Village of Sullia taluk, she was the only bread winner of her family.Vijayalaxmi, who rolls beedis for a living, lost her husband, Manjunath, four years back. Adding to her woes is the health problem plaguing her children Vijetha (9) and Hitan (8) - both suffer from epilepsy. Hitan has a problematic vision too.
Dr Ranjith Shetty, surgeon, AJ Hospital, said the fall injured her spine in the cervical region. Dr Shetty says there's hope for Vijayalaxmi as she has partly regained movement of her arms and, to some extent, in the legs. However, he is doubtful whether she will regain the full use of her legs.
Kumaraswamy said he will bear her medical costs and also keep some amount in the bank in her children's name, so that the interest will be able to sustain the family. The children were sobbing bitterly when he met them. "I will try my best to help the family. I will also try to pressurize the government to release funds as a special case, which I have done when I was the CM," he told TOI.
After talking to deputy commissioner Subodh Yadav, HDK said the DC will be able to disburse help up to Rs 40,000 from the contingency fund. A request to grant site at her village was also made to the DC, after confirming with the panchayat president that a site was available.
Kumaraswamy also deposited Rs 50,000 at the hospital for her treatment, assuring Vijayalaxmi that he will keep tabs on her progress from time to time.