'Paani Satyagraha': Atishi had hypoglycemia, needed immediate treatment, say doctors

NEW DELHI: Water minister Atishi's 'Paani Satyagraha' came to an abrupt end on Tuesday, the fifth day of her indefinite hunger strike, after she was hospitalised due to deteriorating health.
Atishi was taken to LNJP hospital around 3.40am. Dr Suresh Kumar, the hospital's director, said the minister's blood sugar was extremely low when she arrived and ketones were present in her urine sample.The sodium levels in her body were also low.
"She had hypoglycemia, a condition in which the blood sugar (glucose) level is lower than the standard range. Ideally, the blood sugar levels should be 70-100. However, at the time Atishi reached the hospital, her blood sugar levels were around 40. Hypoglycemia needs immediate treatment, especially in these weather conditions," Dr Kumar said.
"We kept her in the ICU and she was immediately put on IV fluids. All the blood work was done. She was advised to take fluids, which she did. Her condition is stable now. We are still going to monitor her and keep her under observation, and will get a few other necessary tests done," he added.
According to AAP's Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh, Atishi's condition began to worsen suddenly on Monday night. "First, she was examined by the doctors of LNJP, then her blood sample was checked at both LNJP and Apollo hospitals. Her sugar levels were at 43, which is extremely low," he said.
"All of us in the party discussed the situation and around 3.30am, Atishi was admitted to LNJP's ICU," Singh added.
Amid the ongoing political dispute over the water crisis, AAP govt has accused neighbouring Haryana of not releasing sufficient water. LG VK Saxena and Haryana govt have refuted these claims and highlighted issues within DJB that have resulted in water wastage and theft. On June 20, Atishi initiated her hunger strike to demand water from Haryana. Singh on Tuesday pledged to address the crisis in Parliament to ensure Delhi residents get proper water supply.
Responding to Atishi's hunger strike, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said, "We have been saying that you can't do 'satyagraha' because you have no connection with the truth. From Mahatma Gandhi and Lala Lajpat Rai to Vinoba Bhave and Anna Hazare, satyagrahis undertook fast to reveal the truth, not to hide their administrative failures, as Atishi intended to do."
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, DJB reported a total production of 914 MGD from all water treatment plants and tubewells. The Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Bawana treatment plants continue to produce less water than their actual capacity. .