SAD protests against withdrawal of ambulance assisting in referral cases from Border area
Chandigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today took strong exception to the withdrawal of a high tech ambulance engaged in serving the people of the border district of Fazilka, saying a popular government could not discriminate against its people in this manner. In a statement here, party MP and senior leader Prem Singh Chandumajra said it was shocking that an ambulance, which had been equipped for transferring critical patients for referral to specialized hospitals across the State, had been withdrawn from duty in an arbitrary manner and sent to Delhi to be posted outside the residence of former State police chief KPS Gill. The Akali leader said by taking this action the government had proved how concerned it was about the people and the facilities earmarked for them. “The ambulance, which has been sent to Delhi, was prcoured from Border Area Development Funds (BADF). It was providing referral services to border area residents at subsidised rates. These people have now been denied a crucial service without any reasonable ground for doing so”, he added. Mr Chandumajra also asserted that governments do not function like this. “I have learnt that health officials in Fazilka were instructed to take the ambulance to Chandigarh where it was handed over to the CM’s Security Advisor Khubi Ram. This is against all prevailing norms and reveals the mindset of the new rulers who care a fig about the suffering of the common man”, he added. Asking the government to correct this act of misgovernance immediately, the MP said the the State Health Systems Corporation should also explain why it had blatantly bent rules and regulations in this regard. “The corporation should tell Punjabis if its jurisdiction has been expanded to cover the State of Delhi also and whether it is duty bound to serve the border residents or not”. Mr Chandumajra also asked the new Congress government to pay due respect to the people who had elected it to power. “One cannot abuse the trust of the people by taking away facilities which have the power of life and death over them. In fact medical facilities to border residents should be increased and not taken away in such a manner”, he added. — PTC News
