The Hindu : Lok Ayukta order permits Sena ambulances in MCH

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 01, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Lok Ayukta order permits Sena ambulances in MCH

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM April 30. The Lok Ayukta has recommended to the competent authority to issue necessary directions permitting the ambulances of the Karunya Charitable Society controlled by the Shiv Sena to be parked on the Medical College and Dental College premises free of cost.

In a verdict issued today, the Lok Ayukta, Justice P.C.Balakrishna Menon, and the Upa Lok Ayukta, Justice T.V.Ramakrishnan, said `Karunya' was eligible for the facility over private ambulances, in view of the free service it provides to destitutes and poor families.

The Lok Ayukta passed the judgement in response to a complaint filed by the Human Rights Protection and Legal Aid Forum and the Karunya Charitable Society. The petition stated that the three ambulances operated by Karunya were denied permission to park inside the hospital campus while commercial ambulances were allowed this facility. The complaint also said the commercial ambulance services were fleecing customers by charging exorbitant rates.

In a report sought by the Lok Ayukta, the IG of Police stated that since the society is functioning under the banner of a political party, permission to park its ambulances in the hospital would lead to similar requests from other political organisations.

In its verdict, the Lok Ayukta noted that the society is rendering free service to the destitute and poor families and providing them with its ambulance vehicles for carrying bodies and taking injured persons to hospitals. It noted that no other political party had come forward to offer such humanitarian service.

The verdict said that refusal of permission to Karunya to park their vehicles in the hospital grounds amounted to misadministration. The order also directed the concerned authorities to put up a board in the hospital displaying the rates of transportation for private ambulances. The Lok Ayukta also directed the government to file an action taken report.

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Lok Ayukta order permits Sena ambulances in MCH