In a first, famous Dal Lake all set to get ‘ambulance boat’

SRINAGAR — Tariq Ahmad Patloo, a social activist has come up with a unique innovation by manufacturing an ‘ambulance boat’, which would be witnessed for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir at world famous Dal Lake.

“The ‘ambulance boat’ is set to provide a sigh of relief among the Dal dwellers who used to face a lot of hardships while facing any health issue,” Patloo said.

“The idea to come up with boat ambulance generated only after I was affected with COVID-19 in August this year. Everybody was scared of the virus and no boatmen used to ferry me to visit the hospital frequently,” he said, adding that many people like him got affected with the virus later on, who faced a lot of hardships as nobody used to ferry them, fearing contracting the virus.

“I was thinking only about it since the day I was infected with the virus. Later, I got an idea to come up with a boat ambulance, which would help the people living in Dal Lake,” Patloo, who is also a Dal dweller, said.

He added the boat ambulance is almost in the final stage. “I am going to fix the motor tomorrow and will go for a trial to check it. After completing this process, I will seek suggestions from the doctors so that each and every equipment for the patients including the machines will be fixed in the ambulance,” he said.

Patloo further stated that to come up with the boat ambulance, a Delhi based trust namely Satya Rekha trust has assisted him. “We have also contributed in it but the maximum of the share is of the trust,” he added.

He said it is for the first time that any such facility will be available for the Dal dwellers, adding that earlier boat akin to this one was in Jhelum in which only patients were being ferried by the boatman in the year 1865.

Patloo said although he would take care of the boat ambulance himself, he is going to hand over the ambulance to the government so that a doctor will be made available round-the-clock for the Dal dwellers, especially during the night period.

“Unless doctor is made available for the boat ambulance, the boat will never give benefits to the people. Therefore, it is mandatory to ensure presence of doctors in the boat so that the people here could heave a sigh of relief and the innovation would bear fruit,” he said.