SHILLONG: The Meghalaya EMRI Employees’ Union has defied the prohibitory orders imposed by the state government and continued with their indefinite strike that started on September 30.
The state government has prohibited the on-going strike by the field staff of GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI) 108 ambulance service.
The Additional Secretary, Political Department, has informed that the government has prohibited the strike under sub-Section (1) of Section 3 of the Meghalaya Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1980 (No.23 of 1980), Amendment Act 2003, and in public interest. The order comes into force with immediate effect for a period of six months.
Speaking to reporters here, president of the union, Roipar Kharraswai termed the Act as a draconian act which seeks to muzzle the voices of the union and suppress their rights.
“We have nothing else to say but we will go ahead with the strike demanding our rights. We started with a peaceful agitation, why did not the government take notice then?” he said.
He informed that the state government spends Rs 1, 47, 000 per vehicle per month and he went on to say that the condition of the 108 ambulance vehicles was much worse than that of the municipal vehicles.
“The condition of the stretcher is also not good as very often patients fall off the stretcher,” he said adding that there are 43 ambulances and not 48 as presented by the GVK administration.
Speaking about financial struggles, Kharraswai said the employees had not received their arrear since 2017 and their overtime allowance since 2011.
Stating that there is a need to dig deep into the allegations of mismanagement in the GVK, he supported the demand of the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organization (CoMSO) to institute a CBI enquiry into the functioning of the GVK EMRI in the state.
He went on to add that the state government should snap ties with the GVK EMRI administration and run the EMRI 108 services by itself.
An EMT from Garo Hills, M. Mandal said that the staff have been staying at an old government building which, he claims, has no doors, windows. The officers did not respond to the matter.
GVK gains from the agitation
Further criticizing the concerned authorities, Kharraswai said the GVK EMRI administration gains from the agitation called by the union as it continues to deduct the salaries.
“The ambulance vehicles are not in use and there is no need to spend on petrol. Even the oxygen is also not in use and they (GVK administration) will not be at a loss,” he said.
Again, they informed that the GVK administration met the agitating employees assuring them the union members will get the 10 per cent increment on the condition that they will not agitate in the future.
“We rejected their offer. We have not been getting any arrears and increments so far,” Kharraswai said.