In an apparent attempt to disrupt the operation of the vital 108 ambulance service in the state some people, who allegedly are former workers of the ambulance service, are making fake emergency calls to summon the ambulances needlessly. The district programme officer of Community Action and Motivation Programme ( CAMP) of Pithoragarh, Parmanand Pant has submitted a complaint to the district Superintendent of Police. In the complaint he has alleged that some of the former employees of GVK -EMRI, the company which was operating the ambulance service prior to CAMP are engaged in making fake calls to the ambulance service with an objective of disrupting the vital service. Giving details, the complainant said that after making fake calls and making the ambulances run unnecessarily for more than 70 kms, these elements are either switching off their phones or making them not reachable. In the complaint, the names and phone numbers of the former 108 ambulance service employees are also mentioned. When contacted, the General Manager (marketing) of the CAMP, Pradeep Rai also confirmed such mischievous incidents. He said that two such cases both in Pithoragarh district has come to his notice. “ We have asked our district programme officers to take action on such cases,’’ he said. On the effect of the strike of the former employees of the service on operation of ambulances, Rai said that 100 ambulances out of fleet of 139 are operational. He claimed that the company has so far recruited 600 employees.
Meanwhile, the agitation and Dharna of the field workers of the 108 ambulance service continued on fourth day on Friday. The vice president of state unit of the Congress party Surya Kant Dhasmana who attended the Dharna on the day warned the government that the interests of the youths would not be allowed to be affected. He said that the Trivendra Singh Rawat government has become so stubborn that it is unmoved by the agony of hundreds of workers who were removed from their jobs after working dedicatedly for 11 long years in an organisation.
The general secretary of the association of field workers, Vipin Jamloki said that 717 workers of the ambulance workers were thrown out from the job for no fault of theirs. He said that the agitation of the association would continue till their demands are accepted.
The contract of GVK- EMRI Company to operate 108 emergency ambulance service ended on April 30 after the new company, CAMP took over the operation of ambulance service.
The new company CAMP is offering less salary to the experienced worker which is the bone of contention between it and the association of workers. The workers are demanding that they should be absorbed into the new company on existing salaries.