A CORRESPONDENT
Boko: Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) on Saturday donated an ambulance to the people of the Lampi area on the Assam-Meghalaya border, about 30 km from Boko in Kamrup district. The residents of Lampi area have to go to Boko Primary Health Center, 30 km away for treatment of any disease or to Guwahati, about 100 km away for problems requiring surgery. The residents of Lampi said that a medical center was set up in Lampi but the health center is only open on Fridays during the weekly market. Therefore, the patients needed to be taken to Boko for any maternity treatment or accident cases but there was a lack of ambulances.
The neighbouring Meghalaya government has provided an ambulance for the Meghalaya area along Lampi but it costs between Rs 4,000 and Rs 6,000 to take it to Boko. Biju Chetri, a local of Lampi, said that despite 77 years of independence, no government has paid any attention to the Lampi area, which is only 100 km from the capital Dispur. The residents of Lampi said that they are also suffering from the Assam-Meghalaya border issue, lack of schools, negligence of the health department, drinking water problem, roads, etc.
They said that they have repeatedly applied orally and in writing to MLA Nandita Das, District Commissioner, and several government officials for an ambulance. The Chief Executive Member of Gorkha Development Council Prem Tamang was also informed about this important issue and then Chief Executive Member Prem Tamang handed over a state-of-the-art ambulance to the people of Lampi through the Numaligarh Oil Refinery Social Responsibility Scheme. The ambulance distribution programme was held in Lower Lampi on Saturday afternoon in collaboration with the Gorkha Students Union. The event was attended by Sudip Pradhan, Independent Chairman, Numaligarh Refinery Limited, Gorkha Development Council Chief Executive Member Prem Tamang, Kamrup District Gorkha Students Union’s President Govinda Sharma, members of Lampi Red Cross Society, and the local people.
The ambulance has been equipped with all the necessary facilities and equipment at a cost of Rs 17 lakh, Numaligarh Refinery Limited Independent Chairman Sudip Pradhan said. The ambulance is equipped with everything from oxygen cylinders to first aid boxes and all other emergency health facilities. The people of Lampi breathed a sigh of relief with the end of this long-standing problem. Meanwhile, as per the discussions at the ambulance donation programme held on Saturday, the Lampi Red Cross Society was handed over the responsibility of operating the ambulance.
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