ESMA on striking employees of 108 & 102 Ambulance services of area

Dharamshala, June 28, 2018: The District Administration of Kangra has decided to impose ESMA on the striking employees of 108 & 102 Ambulance Services. District Magistrate KK Saroch has issued orders about it today at Dharamshala and said, “And those employees who won’t return to work shall be punished under law.” He said that before imposing ESMA, he had a meeting with the officials of Health and Police Departments along with the in-charge of ambulance services. The Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) is an act of Parliament of India which was established to ensure the delivery of certain services, which if obstructed would affect the normal life of the people. This include services like public transport (bus services), health services (doctors and hospitals}
Saroch said that the Health Department has asked to provide alternative ambulance arrangements to the patients till the resumption of these services.
Health Department official said that it is taking the services of other government department drivers to meet emergency.
With around 800 employees of 108 and 102 ambulance services from the districts of Shimla, Solan, Chamba, and Sirmaur are on strike in support of their various demands. Due to the strike, 92 ambulances of 108 service and 125 ambulances of 102 service are off the road, resulting in ambulances remaining off the road, causing great hardship to patients. The state government has directed the district administrations to ensure smooth plying of 108 ambulance services by making the required arrangements.
Health Minister Vipin Parmar said even after several rounds of discussions, employees had not ended their strike, due to which ESMA is being imposed in four districts. He said those not joining their duties were facing threat of termination, and legal action would be initiated against those who would stop ambulances.