TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: After a month of fruitless protest, six employees of the 108 service have decided to go on a fast unto death from Thursday, if their pending demands are not met. Three of these have already been served termination letters.
“We are against the illegalities resorted to, in providing ambulance services by GVK foundation in Goa, the crores of rupees scam, the unmaintained ambulances, the low quality drugs in ambulances and many more issues,” the union general secretary Sagar Prabhudesai said in a press statement issued, Wednesday.
The employees began their protest against GVK, the service provider of 108 emergency services on February 18 calling for better working conditions, increasing salaries and well maintained ambulances. Scrapping of the GVK contract with the government is among their other demands.
“Even after a month of protest, the government has not opened its eyes and has supported illegalities,” Prabhudesai said confirming that six staff members, will fast from March 19.
Last month, 120 employees from the 108 service took to protesting their conditions by parking ambulances in front of the Bambolim office, and staging a protest at Azad Maidan. They have since then knocked the doors of the Directorate of Health Services, the Health Department and the Labour Commission for help.
