15 June,2011 07:24 AM IST | | Parth Satam
Deenanath hospital allegedly refuses to release Metro hospital's vehicle until it pays compensation for damaging doctor's car
A city hospital has "impounded" another facility's ambulance after the vehicle partially damaged a car owned by a doctor working with the former hospital. The incident happened on June 11 when the driver of the ambulance, owned by Pashan-based Metro Hospital, damaged a doctor's private car at Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital on Karve Road. According to Sharad Kamble (26), the driver of the ambulance, he had come to transfer a patient to Deenanath hospital and after dropping the patient, he unintentionally hit Dr Sameer Jog's Volkswagen Polo.
"Alarmed by the thud, the security guards rushed to the scene and asked me to wait till the hospital administrator Sachin Vyahavare arrives. When the administrator came, he demanded Rs 7,000 as compensation. He told me that the ambulance would be allowed to move only when the compensation is paid. I requested him to allow me to go as I had other hospital work and promised him to pay the sum a few days later, but pleas fell on deaf ears.
Instead he ordered his men to fit jammers on the vehicle's wheels. They also punctured the tyres to ensure that I cannot run away with the vehicle. Seeing no hope, I left for my native place the same day", said Kamble.
The driver added after returning to the city yesterday he visited the hospital again, they were still reluctant to release the vehicle without payment of compensation.
When MiD-DAY visited the spot, it was found that wheels of the ambulance were indeed jammed and its tyres punctured. Dr Nitin Joglekar, director of Metro Hospital, said, "Seizure of the ambulance by Deenanath hospital has crippled our daily services. In the absence of the ambulance, we are unable to pick up emergency patients from accident sites," added Joglekar. But he categorically said that he had nothing against Deenanath hospital and his only reservation was that the facility should not have impounded the ambulance this way. "They should have understood our problems as they too are a running hospital. This is my only grouse," said Joglekar.
The Other Side
Dr Sameer Jog from Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital claimed that they never impound the vehicle. "This is a false allegation. The driver can take away his vehicle anytime, but he should pay the compensation before doing so." When MiD DAY pointed out that hospital administrator Sachin Vyahavare had ordered to impound the vehicle, he said he was unaware of any such order given by Vyahavare. The hospital administrator remained unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts.
