Lokayukta ordered the Hyderabad City Police Commissioner and the Secretary of the Nampally Exhibition Society to appear on Tuesday regarding their support to the fish medicine.  Lokayukta opines that a private program of the distribution of the traditional medicine given stuffed in small fish by Bathini Gowd brothers need not be extended State support.

Bathini family is making free distribution of the Siddha Ayurveda medicine with live fish to control asthma for the last 160 years as they claim.  People from all parts of the State throng in the month of June when season changes at which time it will be hell for asthma patients.  

Bathini brothers say that there is no cure for asthma in other therapies but in the Siddha medicine they give.  They drop the murrel fish in to the throat of the patient.  The fish slippery by nature easy gets in with its movement of fins and tail clearing the phlegm that causes congestion in the chest.  They assure a total remedy if the medicine is taken in three consecutive seasons.  

But the crude way of the treatment called ‘Chepa Mandu’ which is not scientific is objected by some organizations.  The fish is thrust in to the throat of the patient with bear hands by the organizers.  The controversy has been going on since a decade.  Responding the lower Court’s order drug inspectors took the fish medicine to see its results some years ago.  On High Court’s order some time back the medicine was tested scientifically and the result is that no evidence of its curable characteristic was found in the medicine for asthma.  

On the petition filed by the Balala Hakkula Sangham represented by Achyuta Rao, AP Lokayuka  Justice  B.Subhashan Reddy wondered why the activities of the private people that is not serving the public purpose are being supported by the Government.  

The Collectors of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy Districts were asked to give their explanation before 3rd June on their actions supporting the distribution of the fish medicine by Bithini brothers.  

(AW-SriJa)