PIL seeks more ambulances for accident victims

New Delhi, Nov 6 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today issued notices to the state government and Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS Society) for increasing ambulance services for the accident victims in the capital.

A Division Bench of acting Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Kailash Gambhir asked the Delhi government, CATS Society and the Transport department of Delhi to file their replies to a PIL by December 12, the next date of hearing.

Counsel Varun Goswami alleged that most of the accident victims died due to lack of ambulance and emergency health services in the capital.

More than thousand people die every year due to accidents caused by over 49.5 lakh vehicles in the city, said the petition.

There was a huge gap between demand and suppy of ambulances and emergency services such as para-medical staff, drivers, among others, in the city.

''The state government, which runs emergency services through CATS, has only 35 ambulances. Of these only 30 are operative at a given point of time for more than a population of one crore,'' said the petition.

The petition prayed for direction to the authorities for more ambulances, emergency services, para-medico staff and also to frame requisite policies to save a large number of accident victims.

UNI PAT HS DB2004