Hyderabad: The distribution of traditional annual fish medicine, claimed to cure Asthma and other Respiratory Illnesses, began at Exhibition Grounds at Nampally here on Friday.
The administering of fish medicine which started at 0900 hours ( on Mrigasira karthi day), will continue for 24 hours non-stop (up to 0900 hours on Saturday) which normally coincides with the onset of monsoon.
Thousands of people from different parts of the country will converge to the city to take the traditional fish medicine at the annual event, organised by the Bathini family, who have been administering it free of cost to asthma patients every year after they began in 1845.
Members of the Bathini family, who had been administering this "herbal medicine" claimed that over four lakh people are expected this year and they are preparing 450 kgs of medicine.
The "yellow herbal medicine" in the form of a sardine and two to three inches long will be inserted into the mouth of the patient. This live fish is then slipped down the throat of a patient. Vegetarians get this medicine with jaggery.
Telangana Minister for Animal Husbandry Talasani Srinivas Yadav who is reviewing the arrangements personally, said the fisheries department has kept ready of 1.32 lakh murrel fingerlings collected from different lakes across the state to enable Bathini's family administer the medicine.
Besides establishing of 32 general counters, two mobile counters, and two VIP counters, the district administration authorities also had set up 34 ticket counters at the venue to distribute coupons to the patients.
Besides, 150 police personnel were deployed to regulate traffic. The police department also deployed 1500 security personnel for the event.Over 70 CCTV cameras have been set up at the venue to monitor the movement of the crowd.
In addition to the existing regular services, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) has made arrangements to operate 133 additional buses to the venue.(UNI)