AMBULANCE SERVICES UNDER SCANNER

By Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express

T'Puram, Sept. 24

Will a police officer dare to stop an Ambulance that is moving at a high speed with alarms and emergency lights on ?

This privilege being enjoyed by ambulance services, clubbed with the mushrooming number of ambulance services in the state, is indeed becoming a cause of concern for the law enforcers. The entry of various extremist outfits as well as certain organisations that are into mysterious social services into ambulance operations adds to the concern of the police.

The issue came up for discussion at a recent meeting of top police officers in the State and DGP Jacob Punnoose had directed the intelligence-wing to chalk out certain measures to sort out the issue.

According to the data available with the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) there are 3292 ambulance services in the State at present. This includes 3098 light motor vehicles, 97 medium motor vehicles and 97 heavy motor vehicles. The ambulance services are offered tax concession.

Sources in the Police Department said that ambulance service was being widely misused by various outfits to give cover to their mysterious activities. Especially several extremist outfits are now operating ambulance service with mysterious intentions.

While Shivsena operates 23 ambulance services across the state, the Popular Front of India, which is under a cloud of suspicion for its alleged extremist activities, is also learnt to be operating ambulance services. However PFI leaders said that at present they are not operating ambulance services.

"At present we don't have any mechanism to regulate ambulance services. Besides those allowed by the MVD, there are also a number of ambulance services operating in the state without the permission of the MVD. Hence, a mechanism to monitor ambulance services in very essential, “ the DGP said.

During the last Attukal Pongala, an ambulance being run by an extremist outfit was found frequently speeding towards the restricted areas near the temple a number of times. A senior police officer in the city who became suspicious intercepted the vehicles and was surprised to see that the ambulance was transporting ladies for pongala, recalls City Police Commissioner M.R.Ajithkumar.


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