Ranchi, April 9:

A slag picker paralysed by an accident has sought permission for euthanasia from the President as he is not able to earn his livelihood.

Dilip Machua, 30, a resident of steel city Jamshedpur, was a slag picker, one of those who earn a living by picking up steel scrap and the refuse thrown out of blast furnaces. He had an accident last November. He cannot move and he is unable to earn a livelihood to feed his old mother, wife and two daughters - one aged four and another two and a half. Disappointed with his life, he sent his euthanasia petition to President Pratibha Patil April 4. In his letter, he said the government should either arrange for his treatment or allow him to commit euthanasia. He sent copies of the letter to Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda and Governor Syed Sibte Razi.

According to doctors, Dilip suffered grievous injuries to his spinal cord in the accident. Due to spinal damage, he suffered paralysis below his waist. Now he cannot stand or move. He was treated at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Jamshedpur. Later he was shifted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) in the state capital here. Doctors here suggest that he should be treated either at New Delhi or Vellore in Tamil Nadu. A few NGOs and Dilip’s neighbours have raised some money for his treatment, but that has proved inadequate to send him to New Delhi or Vellore.

“The family condition is very bad. We have pinned hope on government aid,” said Ram Singh Munda, general secretary of his neighbourhood residents’ association — the Basti Vikas Samiti. The local people met Land and Revenue Minister Dulal Bhuiya but failed to get an assurance of help.