Paraplegic sweeper discharged from hospital as kin run out of funds. (Representational) Paraplegic sweeper discharged from hospital as kin run out of funds. (Representational)

A fortnight after he developed paralysis after a tree fall mishap that fractured his spine, 45-year-old Laxminarayan Bashirabad was discharged from SL Raheja Hospital on Monday after family claimed it ran short of finances to continue his treatment.

On June 4, Bashirabad, a contractual sweeper, was sitting with his friends in Dadar West when a tree trunk collapsed on him. The chawl-resident suffered a spinal fracture and was rushed to KEM Hospital on June 4. Along with Bashirabad, two other locals, Vikas Baile (45) and Haresh Prabhu (42), were also injured. A day later, doctors confirmed he suffered from paraplegia, with no nerve sensations from waist-down, along with multiple fractures in chest, hands and legs. The family has so far spent over Rs 6 lakh on his treatment. The BMC contractual labourer earned Rs 4,000 per month. The family filed a non-cognisable complaint against the BMC for negligence in tree cutting and reached out to several departments for compensation. “We have got no response. I have been running around to gather funds for my father’s treatment,” son Vishal Bashirabad said.

On June 9, Bashirabad’s family shifted him from KEM to SL Raheja Hospital, Mahim, after alleged lack of medical attention in orthopaedic ward. “My father developed high fever. But doctors hardly had time to come check him,” Vishal alleged. Dr Avinash Supe, dean in KEM Hospital, said a decision to observe the patient and hold the surgery for sometime was taken. “Adequate medicines were given to him and treatment was done after careful evaluation. A doctor has to consult several patients and providing each one quality psychological support may not be possible,” he said.

In SL Raheja Hospital, Bashirabad underwent a spine surgery, another surgery to remove blood clotting from chest where he sustained three fractures, and a surgery to insert a rod in his leg. The family has spent Rs 6 lakh in Raheja Hospital so far, and Rs 12,000 in KEM Hospital. Bashirabad now requires a hand surgery to insert a rod along with fractured bone. The hospital has given an estimate of another Rs 5 lakhs. “We have run out of money now and his hand surgery will have to wait,” said son Vishal. On Monday, the family brought the 45-year-old home to their Dadar chawl. According to Jeetendra Pardeshi, superintendent of tree and garden department, BMC, a compensation of Rs 50,000 to injured and Rs 1 lakh to family of deceased is provided in tree fall cases. “Usually our officials approach the family and provide immediate compensation. I will have to check why the family has not been given aid, we will speed up the process,” Pardeshi said.

According to Bashirabad’s family, while BMC officials visited his father in KEM Hospital’s orthopaedic ward, they did not inform the family about compensation.

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