Lives at risk at Mollem village as its only ambulance is in shambles  

Failure of the South Goa Collectorate to transfer the ambulance in the name of Mollem panchayat prevented its timely repairs
Lives at risk at Mollem village as its only ambulance is in shambles

 
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MOLLEM: The Mollem Village Panchayat is grappling with shortage of ambulances as its only ambulance which was given by a former Member of Parliament in 2013, is unusable.

The vehicle has deteriorated beyond repair and is rendered unsable. The Panchayat explains that despite multiple written requests to transfer the RC book from the South Goa Collector’s name to the Panchayat’s name, they received no response, even after a final request in 2017.

The nearest hospital falls in Usgao, which is 18 km away, from Mollem bazar and from Goa's border, the hospital is 36 km away.  This is precarious for the people living in Mollem in case of an medical emergency, including accidents.

Despite multiple written requests to transfer the RC book from the South Goa Collector’s name to the Panchayat’s name, the Mollem Village panchayat received no response.  This lack of transfer has prevented the Panchayat from conducting essential repairs, especially given its limited financial resources.

As per the Registration Certificate, the ambulance is in the name of the South Goa Collectorate. They asked that the vehicle be transferred in their name. They tried till 2017, thereafter they gave up.
A Mollem Villager

The government attempts to provide basic health facilities to all villages. But in case an ambulance breaks down, the panchayats have no money to repair it. The government too is not much bothered. So then people ask for a new ambulance. “Then Member of Parliament had donated this ambulance to Mollem Panchayat in 2013. It was working till 2015. According to the panchayat, as per the Registration Certificate, the ambulance is in the name of the South Goa Collectorate. They asked that the vehicle be transferred in their name. They tried till 2017, thereafter they gave up. The panchayat said that without it being transferred on their name they could not repair it,” a villager narrated.

o if we call for an ambulance from Usgao, it has to travel 36 kilometres and precious time is wasted which is critical to saving the life of patients.”
Another Mollem Villager

Another villager stressed the criticality of having an ambulance since Mollem village lies on the highway. He said, “So there are a number of accidents taking place here on a regular basis. The Goa border is 18 kilometres from Mollem and the nearest hospital at Usgao is also 18 kilometres away. So if we call for an ambulance from Usgao, it has to travel 36 kilometres and precious time is wasted which is critical to saving the life of patients.”

Gautam Bhandari said, “The ambulance has been scrapped. It was given by South Goa MP, but panchayat did not maintain it, and it is not the fault of the panchayat either. Sarpanch Vaman Gaonkar has shown us the correspondence, how the South Goa Collectorate failed to respond and this is the state of the ambulance.”

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