Bengaluru, Sep 8 (IANS) Senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, on Tuesday accused the state government of pushing the 108 ‘Arogya Kavacha’ free ambulance service into a crisis and warned that any disruption to the emergency service after September 20 would be the direct responsibility of Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Health Minister U.T. Khader.
It can be recalled that the 108 free ambulance service drivers have given the Karnataka government a 15-day deadline and threatened to collectively resign if their demands were not met.
Health and Family Welfare Minister, U.T. Khader, on Monday warned that strict action would be taken if any protest affected patients and asked the drivers to speak to the firm engaged by the government to manage them, in order to address their demands.
Reacting to the reported threat by more than 3,500 employees of the 108 ambulance service to collectively resign from September 20 Ashoka questioned the government’s alleged silence on their demands.
“More than 3,500 staff of the 108 service have warned of mass resignations from September 20, yet the government remains silent. What should one say about such irresponsible governance?” Ashoka alleged.
He alleged that instead of resolving the employees’ grievances through negotiations, the government was threatening them with stringent action and cancellation of the contract if they went on strike. Such threats, he claimed, reflected the government’s “anti-worker” approach.
Ashoka said the employees had raised several serious issues, including an alleged 45 per cent cut in additional wages, 12-hour working shifts and the demand for ₹50 lakh compensation to the families of 108 ambulance personnel who die while on duty.
“What is the government’s answer to these demands?” he asked.
The BJP leader also questioned the government’s priorities, alleging that it had funds for advertisements and achievement conventions but was unwilling to provide justice to the personnel who work to save people’s lives.
“There is money for giving page-long advertisements and for organising achievement conventions. But is there no money to provide justice to the 108 personnel who save people’s lives?” Ashoka asked.
He warned that any disruption to the 108 emergency ambulance service after September 20 could have serious consequences for patients and the public, and held Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Health Minister U.T. Khader directly responsible for any such situation.
Calling on the government to take the issue seriously, Ashoka said it should stop “playing with people’s lives” and ensure that the emergency ambulance service continues without interruption.
Earlier on Monday, responding to the threats by the staff Minister Khader said the operation and management of the 108 ambulance service was the responsibility of the private company engaged by the government and that the company was responsible for providing vehicles, salaries, training, cleanliness, uniforms and other facilities.
“We will not manage it. The company will provide the vehicles, salary, training, cleanliness, uniform and everything else. If the drivers have any issues, they have to sit with the company and discuss them. They can also bring the matter to our notice,” Khader said.
He said the government would intervene if the company failed to pay the salary that had been promised to the drivers in writing at the time of their appointment.
“If they have been promised a particular salary in writing at the time of appointment and are not being paid that amount, they can inform us,” he said.
–IANS
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