Talks between GVK-EMRI, striking employees fail

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 29

Talks between the GVK-EMRI authorities and striking employees failed on Friday as the latter remained adamant on seeking a written assurance from the government with regard to the fulfilment of their demands.

They are seeking an inquiry into the allotment of tenders for the plying of 108 service ambulances, a minimum wage of Rs 20,000 per month and the fixed eight-hour duty hours.

On the other hand, ESMA (Essential Service Maintenance Act) remained in force in 11 districts for the third consecutive day. Drivers from the Home Guards and the Health Department had been running 143 ambulances since Thursday.

More than 600 employees of the company staged a protest near the Secretariat. President of the HP 108 Workers’ Union Puran Chand said the GVK-EMRI authorities had invited them for talks at Chhota Shimla. However, nothing concrete came out as the company head, M Sukumar, did not participate.

Chand said 108 drivers, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and pharmacists were being paid between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 despite working round the clock.

He claimed that all trade unions of the CITU, the BMS and INTUC had extended support to them.

Chand demanded that the present tender for the plying of ambulances be cancelled and a fresh one be floated to ensure transparency.

He said they would call off the strike when the government issued them a written assurance with regard to the fulfilment of their demands.

Director, National Health Mission (NHM), Pankay Rai, who was transferred on Thursday, said ESMA would remain in force till the matter was resolved. He said the striking employees were likely to resume duties in two-three days.

BMOs told to ensure ambulance availability

SOLAN: Sirmaur DC Lalit Jain has directed all five block medical officers (BMOs) of the district to ensure the availability of ambulances for patients in the wake of the ongoing strike of drivers of the GVK EMRI services. He said the district administration had made adequate arrangements in coordination with staff of the Health Department to ply ambulances. He urged patients to call at 108 to seek ambulance assistance. Officiating Solan DC Vivek Chandel said the ambulance services were being aptly managed in the district.

ESMA invoked on ambulance services staff 

Una: Exercising powers under Section 4 of ESMA 1973, ADC Kritika Kulhari on Friday refrained the pilots and emergency medical technicians deployed on 108 and 102 ambulance services from going on a strike. Orders further stated that since the services of these employees directly affected the life of the common man, their absence from duty would be liable to attract action against them as per specified rules.