Odisha: Boat ambulance in Swabhiman Anchal area of Naxal-hit Malkangiri to help 10,000 people

In another step forward for the people of Swabhiman Anchal area, the Border Security Force (BSF) launched a boat ambulance service on the occasion of Republic Day.

For years, the Malkangiri district in Odisha has been a hotbed of the Naxal movement. However, things are significantly looking up in the cut-off area with the state government rapidly rolling out development works there; now, it has been renamed ‘Swabhiman Anchal’ by the Naveen Patnaik regime.

In another step forward for the people of Swabhiman Anchal area, the Border Security Force (BSF) launched a boat ambulance service on the occasion of Republic Day.

BSF DIG Sanjay Singh inaugurated the boat ambulance service near Gurupriya bridge in the Swabhiman Anchal. The ambulance will facilitate emergency medical services to around 10,000 people in the area, he said.

Most of the villagers were unable to access ambulance services due to lack of road connectivity. They used to carry ailing persons to hospitals on slings or bamboo stretchers through forest areas.

DIG Singh said that during the recent visit of BSF Director General (DG) Pankaj Kumar Singh, the need of a boat ambulance was felt to provide medical aid, especially for the people living in the far-flung GP Jantri and GP Panasput.

With the combined effort of the BSF and state administration, the boat ambulance is all set to start its voyage from today.

Talking to India Today, Arjun Pangi, a resident of Swabhiman Anchal area, said, “It’s a great initiative, we are very happy that the boat ambulance service has started. Now the patients from our area can reach hospitals on time. Many lives can be saved.”