 Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Sept 5: Eleven new ambulances worth Rs 1.20 crore bought by the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir are alleged to be lying unused from last one year due to official apathy.
The ambulances have been left to rust in the compound of State Motor Garage, Srinagar, sources told Early Times.
A senior official of the SMG told Early Times that though they several times communicated to the Directorate of Health to take the ambulances in their possession. To no avail, though.
"In August 2014, we purchased the 11 new ambulances on the requisition of the Health Department, but we fail to understand why they do not take them into their possession," he said.
"If the ambulances were not required, why were they purchased then," the official asked.
Sources said more ambulances are required as many hospitals and public health centres lack adequate number of ambulances.
"The shortage of ambulances in hospitals forces patients to hire cabs at exorbitant rates to reach to the hospital or head back home. Instead of letting the ambulances rot inside a compound of SMG, so many people could have benefited had these ambulances been commissioned," said an official of the Health Department wishing not to be named.
"It is unfortunate to see these vehicles rusting and rotting. I wonder how many patients would have died for not having got ambulance on time. Look at the condition of ambulances our hospitals have. These new ambulances must be taken out and put into public service," said an official posted in SMG.
According to sources, these 11 ambulances were purchased by the erstwhile NC-Congress government. "Each vehicle costs Rs 10 Lakh approximately, making the total unutilized sum around Rs 1.20 crore," sources said.
They said the 11 ambulances are without chassis number or registration number.
A senior official in the Traffic Department said that if a vehicle has remained without registration for over a month, under the discretionary powers, the RTO could fine them to the tune of Rs 10,000 per vehicle.
When contacted, Director Health Services Kashmir told Early Times that he has no information about the 11 ambulances.
"I don't have any information regarding the matter. It is a holiday today. I will collect information from my transport officer, call me some other day," the Director said before disconnecting the phone. |
