CUTTACK: The Orissa high court has refused to entertain a public litigation interest (PIL) seeking judicial intervention against private ambulance service providers charging exorbitant rates for transporting patients to hospitals as the petition lacked empirical data.
It was filed by Byomakesh Tripathy, an HC lawyer.
When the petition came up on Thursday, Tripathy's counsel, Biplab Bahali, contended that the private ambulance service providers are making hay and charging exorbitant rates from people seeking transport to hospitals as there was regulation to control them.
Besides, the number of state-run ambulances was inadequate and their service was limited to transporting patients to government hospitals, Bahali pleaded to the court.
The two-judge bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice R K Pattanaik said, "Though 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 said, "Since the petitioner is complaining of exorbitant charges demanded by private ambulance operators, and seeks regulation of that practice, it is necessary for him to do some spadework and place before the court concrete instances across Odisha of the amounts charged by private ambulance operators. Without such background material, it will not be possible for the court to issue meaningful directions in a petition of this nature."
Permitting the petitioner to file a proper PIL giving details, this petition is not entertained and is dismissed, the bench said.
