The ambulance. Picture by Ramen Mondal

Balurghat, Dec. 16: The absence of an ambulance in the border town of Hili has led four traders to buy a vehicle and donate it to the Bharat Sevashram Sangha.

Uday Barman, Situ Jain, Prabir Kundu and Babusona Basak, who run small stationery and grocery shops in Hili, 26km from here, were concerned about the plight of residents in the absence of an ambulance service.

“Two months ago, while returning home at night, we saw some people frantically searching for an ambulance to take a patient to hospital. We rushed to Trimohini, a distance of 5km, and hired an Ambassador from there to help them. The incident made us sit up and think of a solution to the problem,” Uday said.

The members of the business community had to often help people with donations on various social occasions, Situ said. “Why should not we then do something like buying an ambulance for the residents?”

The idea soon turned into action. The traders bought a second-hand Voyager for nearly Rs 2 lakh from a club in Balurghat which used to run it as an ambulance. They initially contemplated handing it over to the panchayat or to the rural hospital in Hili.

“But on second thoughts, we decided to donate the ambulance to the Bharat Sevashram Sangha which we believe can utilise it properly since the organisation conducts social services in many spheres,” Prabir said today. “We handed over the vehicle to the monks on Sunday, when they opened a branch in Hili.

The common man’s experience in the ambulance service in the Hili rural hospital is not a happy one. The ramshackle vehicle seldom responds to frantic calls from the residents. “Most of the time, it is either not functioning or is on hire by someone else,” a villager said.

Swami Hiranmayanandaji Maharaj of the Sangha, who received the key of the vehicle, said they would frame rules on how to make the best use of the exemplary gesture by the traders. “The ambulance will help us render services to the poor people in border areas,” he said.

Swami Dibakaranandaji Maharaj of the Teor unit of the Sangha said there would be no charges for hiring the ambulance.

“We shall take only the fuel charge from the beneficiaries. The driver’s wages and the maintenance cost of the vehicle will be borne by us,” he said.