Mock drill carried out to evacuate Dalai Lama to hospital

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, May 21

The district administration today carried out a mock drill to evacuate the Dalai Lama in case of medical emergency. Roads were blocked and ambulances under police protection rushed from McLeodganj to Tanda medical college.

The movement of ambulances in a VIP caravan fuelled rumours regarding the health of the Dalai Lama. People and mediapersons made frantic calls to the authorities to enquire about the well-being of the Dalai Lama. SP, Kangra, Santosh Patial clarified that it was a mock drill to evacuate the Dalai Lama in case of medical emergency.

Concerns regarding the health of the Dalai Lama are being expressed for quite some time now. Since last year, the Dalai Lama has curtailed his visits abroad and in India. A few days ago, prayers were organised in the main temple for his long life.

From May 10, the Dalai Lama organised three-day teachings for Buddhists from Russia. However, some foreign devotees said they had never seen him that weak. “This time, the Dalai Lama conducted teachings for just an hour. He was also facing a difficulty in walking from his residence gate to the temple. I am very concerned,” said a foreign devotee.

The office of the Dalai Lama has, however, been allaying fears regarding his ill-health and maintaining that these are age-related problems.

However, a meeting was held in Dharamsala in which a decision was taken to change the norms regarding meetings with the Dalai Lama due to his ill-health.

Recently, reports went around the media regarding his ill-health. Reports claimed that the Dalai Lama had been suffering from prostate cancer, causing concerns among the Tibetans.

The personal physician of the Dalai Lama, Dr Tseten Dorjee, had trashed reports that the Tibetan spiritual icon had prostate cancer and it was in last stage.

The physician had claimed that he needed support while walking because of mild osteo-arthritis, which was common to people of his age. The condition of his arthritis was so mild that it did not even require surgery, he had said.

Chime Rigzin, his secretary, had claimed that doctors in Rochester, Minnesota, had identified the cancer and treated him two years ago. This time during the examination at the Mayo Clinic, they saw no trace of it.

Private secretary to the Dalai Lama Tenzin Takhla was not available for comments despite the repeated attempts to contact him on the phone.

His office allays fears 

• Concerns regarding the health of the Dalai Lama are being expressed here for quite some time now.

• Since last year, the Dalai Lama has curtailed his visits abroad and in India

•  A few days ago, prayers were organised in the main temple for his long life.

• The office of the Dalai Lama has, however, been allaying fears regarding his ill-health and maintaining that these are age-related problems.