Ailing, debt ridden Odisha farmer seeks euthanasia

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KalingaTV News Network

GunanindhiBargarh: A 44-year- old ailing farmer of Mahulpali village in Bheden block of the district, who is paralysed waist downwards since last year, has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seeking permission for euthanasia.

Apart from praying for euthanasia, Gunanidhi Kheti, in his letter, begged for permission to donate his body organs like eyes, heart, kidneys etc . , which he said will be helpful to the needy people after his death.

On 14 October, 2016, Gunanidhi, underwent a spinal cord surgery in a private hospital in Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. As ill luck would have it, the lower part of his body was paralysed after the surgery.

Gunanidhi, who holds only three acres of agricultural land, is the sole bread earner of the family of four, which includes his divyang mother, wife, and three year old daughter. Since there is no income source other than farming in his family, he took loans to the tune of over Rs 2 lakh  from banks and non-banking organisations for his treatment and livelihood.

Talking to Kalinga TV, Gunanindhi said, his ill health and rising loan burden compelled him to seek euthanasia.

“I am a small farmer. There is no other income source for my family. My family depends solely on me. I have no option other than selling my organs,” Gunanindhi said. “I will be very happy, if some needy persons can use my organs after my death,” he added.

Meanwhile, there is a ray of hope for Gunanindhi after District Collector Khagendra Kumar Padhi assured him of all possible help from the district administration.

“When Gunanindhi’s case came to my notice, I personally talked to him over phone. I asked him not to worry and assured that his health can be improved with proper treatment. Earlier, we arranged some amount of financial help from the Red Cross. Now, we are trying to avail his treatment expenditure from Chief Minister’s relief fund,” Padhi told Kalinga TV.

Apart from the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister, Gunanindhi has also sent his letter to the District Collector, the local MLA, Tehsildar , BDO and Police SI among others.

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