Srinagar: Srinagar’s “jewel” Dal Lake is all set to get its first floating ambulance service. The initiative is the brainchild of Tariq Ahmad Patloo, a houseboat owner.
The thinking behind the initiative is to provide the people with a faster way to carry patients for treatment during the pandemic.
Tariq Ahmad Patloo came up with this idea when his maternal aunt died of a heart attack in August at her residence in Nehrupark within the Dal Lake.
” My Aunt died in August because of a heart attack, she was not able to get medical help for at least 1 hour because of the lack of speedy water transport” Tariq Said.
Tariq also narrated his experience with covid and how he struggled to get out of Dal Lake to avail medical help. “Nobody would cross me to the Ghat because of the fear of getting infection too, but I understand their concern. If I would have been at their place I would also have done the same,” Tariq said.
He said this was the moment that made him realise how essential it is for Dal Lake to get a floating ambulance service and that he should take the initiative and do something for his people.
It took Tariq Ahmad a month to build an ambulance with deodar wood and aluminium.
“The boat is almost complete, all I need to do is to install some basic medical equipment so that the people get necessary treatment in the boat, I appeal to government authorities to provide this boat a doctor and a medical caretaker. Apart from that I am willing to bear all other expenses, like maintenance and, petrol of the boat,” he said.