BAITADI: Local levels in Baitadi have returned ambulances they received from the Sudurpaschim province government to the province itself.

The Pancheshwor and Dilashaini rural municipalities have sent back vehicles provided by the Ministry of Social Development, citing high maintenance costs.

Pancheshwor rural municipality vice chair Bina Bhatta said there were frequent technical issues on the ambulance provided by the province.

The maintenance cost was too high as it was experiencing dysfunctional issues from time to time, she added.

“We decided to return the vehicle by the executive meeting. We are preparing to buy it on own. We will purchase an ambulance that suits to the conditions of our local roads.”

The concern of locals is that ambulances sent by the province were not technically appropriate to operate on rural roads.

Maintenance was needed after each trip, drivers said. The province handed the vehicles to local governments on November 3, 2019.

The vehicle provided to Dilashaini remained grounded for a year before it was sent back to the province.

As the local government said, it has sought the help of Nepal Red Cross Society to get a new ambulance that is friendly to rural roads.

RSS