Malkangiri: As many parts of Bondaghati in Malkangiri district are inaccessible, the Odisha government had launched a bike-ambulance service at Mudulipada and Andarahal panchayats in March, 2021. The ambulance service was meant for 9,000 people living in 32 villages. The villagers had then thought that the introduction of the bike-ambulance service would end the medical miseries to a great extent.
However, after a few months of operation, the service has allegedly been stopped. The service was jointly sponsored by the Bonda Development Agency and an NGO called ‘Vikash’.
A youth of Balipahad in Andarahal panchayat was assigned to operate the bike-ambulance. Now, the ambulance lies locked inside a garage at Ankadoli area of neighbouring Koraput district. Locals alleged that another youth is using the bike after dismounting accessories from it.
Surprisingly, many people are not even aware of the bike-ambulance service. Some reputed local persons alleged that the government has been implementing a host of welfare programmes for the Bonda tribe, but these schemes have failed to make any difference due to official apathy.
When contacted about the bike-ambulance service, the local sarpanch said, “For over two months, we have no idea about the whereabouts of the bike-ambulance. We do not know whether it has suffered any malfunction or where it has been kept.”
Sadananda Pradhan, team leader of ‘Vikash’, the NGO in-charge of the bike-ambulance said he had no idea about the present state of affairs. “The matter will be investigated and action will be taken for those responsible for the bike-ambulance going out of service, he added.
