Hand Drawn 'Thela' used as Ambulance in 'Awesome Assam'

Nagaon, February 26, 2020:

A Government medical facility in Assam's Nagaon has been condemned by locals after it came to light that the authorities are using a handdrawn cart (or thela) as an ambulance.

In Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal's "Awesome Assam", a not-so-awesome thela is being used to ferry patients to the Chapala Hospital from far away areas. The handcart driver informed mediapersons that recently, a patient was brought to the hospital from 5 kms away.

ALSO READ: Assam: Clause 6 Committee Hands over Report to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal

"We want an ambulance to ensure that the sick people reach the hospital on time....the lone ambulance that is here lies in is in ruins. What can they do, they do not have the proper facilities?", said a local, lamenting the current state-of-affairs.

[caption id="attachment_53627" align="alignnone" width="575"] The original ambulance[/caption]

"There is an ambulance here...it has lain dysfunctional since time immemorial. Assam Ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma and Pijush Hazarika often announce that the health department has seen marked improvements. This area...Sapanala...is an abode of illness. We appeal the Ministers to look at the condition...look, they do not have an ambulance to bring the patients. They are being brought on thelas", said a local, lashing out at the Government for its lack of concern towards the plight of the common men and women in the backward and disease-ravaged region.

Support Inside Northeast (InsideNE), an independent media platform that focuses on Citizen-centric stories from Northeast India that are surprising, inspiring, cinematic and emotionally relevant.