SHILLONG, June 30: The Meghalaya EMRI Workers’ Union on Tuesday launched the first phase of its indefinite peaceful protest by displaying black flags on all 108 ambulances across the state to press for the regularisation of the services of its members and the upgradation of emergency ambulance services.
The union had earlier proposed a more aggressive agitation but decided during a recent general meeting to first seek an audience with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and Additional Chief Secretary Sampath Kumar.
Union president Roypar Kharraswai said they had already sought appointments with both leaders to apprise them of their grievances and demands.
“We have decided to first place our concerns before the Chief Minister and the Additional Chief Secretary, as the Health Minister may not be in a position to take decisions on our demands,” Kharraswai said.
He warned that the union would intensify its agitation if the proposed meetings failed to yield a positive outcome.
According to the union, it had issued public statements on June 3 and 11, seeking clarification from the government on the status of employees’ regularisation of services and requesting that all pending issues be resolved through dialogue. However, it alleged that no invitation for discussions had been received from the government.Black flags were placed on all 108 ambulances to draw public attention to the government’s alleged neglect of the emergency service.
The union expressed disappointment over the government’s “indifferent” attitude towards the demand for the strengthening of the 108 emergency response system.
The union pointed out that although the 108 ambulance service had been operational in Meghalaya for the past 18 years, the number of ambulances remained unchanged despite a growing population and increasing healthcare needs.
Stating that the service has been a lifeline for lakhs of people, particularly in rural areas, the union called for an expansion of the ambulance fleet, recruitment of additional staff and provision of better medical equipment in ambulances.
Further, the union sought an end to the outsourcing of the service to private companies, regularisation of services of the employees and immediate expansion of the 108 ambulance fleet across the state.
It expressed concern over the growth of private hospitals and ambulance services, questioning whether poor and rural families would be able to afford such facilities during emergencies.
The union urged the government to prioritise the strengthening of the public emergency response system, stating that the 108 service remains crucial for providing timely medical assistance to people in Meghalaya.
