Fuel crisis hits ambulances also

CHITWAN, Sept 30: The prolonged banda enforced by agitating United Democratic Madheshi Front (UDMF) and unofficial economic blockade imposed by India have created severe crisis of petroleum products across the country. Patient carrying ambulances in Chitwan, including those belonging to Nepal Red Cross Society, hospitals and various health institutes, are not operational due to fuel crisis.

More than half out of total of 83 ambulances in the district are not operating at present, according to Nawaraj Lamsal, chairman of United Ambulance Driver Association Nepal (UADA)."We are tired of visiting various petrol pumps at night seeking to refill diesel," said Dev Raj Aryal, ambulance driver of Tek Prashad Aryal Memorial Institute. Although ambulances do not have to join queues with other vehicles, they have to wait for at least half-an-hour in a petrol pump to refill, he added.

Hari Pahari, president of Ayodhyapuri chapter of Red Cross, said, "We have fuel for only two days. We may be forced to shut down operating ambulance service due to fuel crisis."

According to Lamsal, 30 liters of petrol or diesel is needed per day for an ambulance to operate smoothly. "The administration can provide us with only 10 liters per day," he said.

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