In a unique initiative, Birbhum district administration has decided to install GPS systems in the ambulances so that they could be tracked.
All the ambulances that are being operated in the district under the scheme 'Nischoy Jan' would be brought under this new project. The decision was taken to stop the plying of illegal ambulances that charge huge money from patients.
It may be mentioned that a few days ago, an ambulance picked up a patient from Rampurhat in Birbhum and was supposed to take him to the Burdwan Medical College and Hospital. Instead, the patient was taken to a private hospital.
It was also seen that many ambulances enter into hospital premises that are not entitled to do so.
The local administration has, therefore, decided to undertake a massive drive to monitor the movement of ambulances. It was decided that GPS devices will be installed in every ambulance which will help the district officials to track the ambulances.
The district administration believes that once the new system is introduced, they would be able to check the ambulances that are being run in the district illegally who charge patients arbitrarily.
The whole system would be monitored through a centralised system in the district.