Paradip, May 24: A "life-saving" donation to the state from Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not been used to save lives yet.

During the inauguration ceremony of the Paradip refinery project on February 7, Modi had handed over the keys of five hi-tech ambulances to the state government. Since then, they have been lying unused.

The state-of-the-art ambulances, which came at a total cost of Rs 1 crore, lie abandoned at the administrative office of Paradip refinery. Indian Oil Corporation Limited had procured the ambulances from its corporate social responsibility funds.

The ambulances, which are equipped with life-saving facilities, were earmarked for use at government-run hospitals.

The very purpose for which these have been procured stands defeated and both refinery authorities and government agencies are to blame, alleged local people.

"The Cuttack-Paradip State Highway and the National Highway 5(A) pass through the Paradip port township. This area is prone to road accidents. Ambulances with life-saving equipment would help rush wounded persons to hospitals at the earliest. They must not go to waste," said Paradip resident Rajendra Mishra.

"The ambulances are not in operation because of legal hurdles. We waited for a court order to hand over the ambulances to the designated hospitals. Earlier, Orissa High Court, while allowing Indian Oil to draw water from the Mahanadi, had ordered us to undertake public utility projects. The ambulances were part of these projects. The company would dispatch the ambulances to hospitals as directed by the court," said senior manager (administration and welfare) Paradip refinery project Manjushree Singh.

"The high court has directed us to press into service the hi-tech ambulances at the Jagatsinghpur district headquarters hospital, Paradip Biju Memorial Hospital, SCB Medical College and Hospital, Acharya Harihar Cancer Institute and the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Postgraduate Institute of Paediatrics in Cuttack. We have requested the principal secretary of the health and family welfare department to take possession of the ambulances," she said.

The court had set conditions for drawing water from the Mahanadi. The company had abided by the court order and fulfilled the conditions, an Indian Oil official said.

Jagatsinghpur collector Bijoy Kumar Upadhyay said: "The administration has requested Indian Oil to expedite the process for handing over the ambulances as it would come to the need of those who need emergency treatment."