CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Thursday dismissed a PIL seeking regulation of rates charged by private ambulance service providers to transport patients to hospitals.The division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice R K Pattanaik declined to entertain the petition as it lacked factual data and dismissed it. HC lawyer Byomakesh Tripathy had filed the petition. Advocate Biplab Bahali argued on the petitioner’s behalf. He contended that private ambulance service providers are charging exorbitant rates from people seeking transport to hospitals as there was no regulation to control them.
The bench said, “Although the cause brought forth in this petition is a laudable one, the petition is totally bereft of details to enable the Court to appreciate the factual context in which the issue is sought to be projected”. The bench further said, “Since the petitioner is complaining of exorbitant charges demanded by private ambulance operators, and seeks regulation of that practice, it is necessary for the him to do some spadework and place before the Court concrete instances across Odisha of the amounts charged by private ambulance operators.”