TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Protesting poor working conditions and demanding the scrapping of the private service provider – GVK – which they alleged was selected illegally, 120 employees of Goa’s 108 ambulance service went on an indefinite strike from Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, EMT personnel and drivers parked their ambulances outside the GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI) office at the Goa Medical College, Bambolim, and handed over the vehicle keys to the management and thereafter staged a morcha from the office to Azad Maidan, Panjim.
Demanding more functional ambulances, the protestors called for scrapping of the service provider – GVK. They also alleged that the company had been selected without a proper tendering procedure.
Of the 33 ambulances given to various government hospitals across the State, employees said that only 15 are functional and roadworthy. One of them complained that due to non-functional ambulances, they could not get to patients on time and had to face the wrath of the people for no fault of theirs.
“There are times when it takes more than 15 minutes to reach a patient. The problem is that there aren’t sufficient ambulances. For example, if there is an accident in Vasco, the closest ambulance is in Verna. It takes time for us to get there. And if we don’t make it on time, we face the ire of the people,” stated one protestor.
All India Workers Union, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) along with 400 members joined the 120 striking employees at the Azad Maidan calling for a change.
Hrudaynath Shirodkar, Goa in-charge, BMS said, “Our biggest issue is with GVK. The company needs to be scraped and the services should be given to locals where we will run it and regularize it,” he said.
Reacting to the all staff walk out, Goa Government has issued a notice under the Essential Services Maintenance (Goa) Act (ESMA) saying, ‘No person employed in GVK EMRI service shall go or remain on strike. Any person who commences a strike which is illegal under this Act, shall be liable for disciplinary action, including dismissal,’ that may also be punishable with imprisonment or a fine that may extend to Rs 1000.
The notice also said the strike amounted to gross violations of the notification thereby disrupting the emergency response services. “In addition to that, it has been also reported that few employees are instigating other co-employees to abstain from work, who are willing to perform their duties. Hence they are sternly warned that their services would be terminated in case they do not join their duties immediately and avoid inconvenience to people of Goa,” the notice cautions.
Members of BMS too who are holding an agitation against the government, called for regularization of jobs and clearing of cases pending in the labour court.
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Unskilled personnel at 108: striking workers
PANJIM: While the 120 staff members of the GVK EMRI service were protesting their working conditions and the ills of the management, the 108 service in the State is still functioning, allegedly with the help of unskilled trainees.
The striking staff of GVK EMRI who gathered at Azad Maidan, Wednesday alleged that unskilled personnel from Telangana who had come to the State for training were running the show. “They are unskilled and have come to the State for training,” one protestor claimed.
Officials from GVK EMRI, however, denied these charges saying that while a section of the employees were protesting, the 108 service was functioning though with the help of trained personnel.
“Fully trained paramedics from neighbouring states were called in to help with the situation. We are entirely committed to providing emergency services to the people of Goa and would not take the risk of stopping the services. It is with this intention that we asked for thoroughly trained paramedics, that is, EMT specialists, from neighbouring States to help,” a GVK official said.
