Chennai, May 14(BPNS)

The Tamil Nadu government has fixed charges for ambulances carrying Covid 19 patients. The state health secretary J Radhakrishnan in an order issued on Friday said a basic patient transport ambulance can charge an amount of Rs 1500 for the first 10 km and Rs 25 for every additional kilometer.

An ambulance with oxygen life support should not exceed Rs 2000 for the  first 10 km and Rs 50 for every additional kilometer.

Advanced life support ambulances with ventilators, defibrillators and multipara monitors can charge Rs 4000 for the first 10 km and Rs 100 for every additional kilometer.

The order also warned that if there are complaints from users that additional charges were levied, then it would lead to cancellation of driving license, cancellation of registration number of such vehicles and confiscation of the vehicle.

Michael Joseph ,director of Chethana, an NGO based out Beasent Nagar in Chennai, while speaking to BPNS said, “This is a good decision of the government and the order has come at the appropriate time. I personally know several instances of ambulance drivers fleecing Covid patients and their families taking three to four times the regular amount. If they again violate the order, the government must implement the tough measures it has mentioned in the order.”