151kg marijuana seized from ambulance
CHITWAN, JUL 17 - In a shocking revelation, police have found some ambulance s operating in Chitwan and neighbouring districts being used in smuggling contraband drugs such as marijuana.
On Monday, police confiscated 151kg of marijuana being smuggled in an ambulance to India from Makawanpur. The ambulance was operated by Chhetri Samaj, Chitwan.
"The misuse of ambulance s is on the rise in Chitwan," said Chief District Officer Narendraraj Sharma. The local authority will launch a campaign to curb such misuse, he said. "The increasing number of ambulance s has encouraged its misuse."
More than 130 ambulance s are in operation in Chitwan alone, mostly operated by private organisations. Each VDC of Chitwan, Makawanpur and Nawalparasi has more than two ambulance s.
Recommendations of District Administration Offices and District Public Health Offices through the Health Ministry for discount on the purchase of ambulance s is one of the reasons to blame for this situation. Many ambulance s are plying without meeting standards such as oxygen cylinders and stretchers and saline water for patients, among other things.
Sharma said the rules set by the Health Ministry while purchasing and operating ambulance s are weak at the knees.
"Police hardly check ambulance s," said Nawaraj Lamichhane, chairman of an ambulance unit committee of All Nepal Trade Union Federation (Revolutionary). Apathy of the authorities concerned to take action against the perpetrators has made the matter worse, he said.
Five months ago, police had seized 180kg of marijuana being smuggled on an ambulance in Bara district.
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