Himachal Ambulance Workers Launch Five-Day Strike Over Pay and Conditions
Ambulance services across Himachal Pradesh faced significant disruption on Monday as workers from the 108 and 102 ambulance services initiated a five-day strike. The protest is driven by demands for improved salaries, enhanced employee benefits, and the reinstatement of colleagues who have been transferred or dismissed.
Mass Demonstration in Shimla Highlights Grievances
More than 500 ambulance employees gathered in Shimla to stage a demonstration, vocally opposing the Himachal Pradesh government and the private company contracted by the health department to manage ambulance operations. Protesters raised slogans, accusing the company of failing to comply with court-mandated minimum wage orders, including those from the Himachal Pradesh High Court.
Balak Ram Sharma, a leader of the Ambulance Employees' Union, detailed the workers' plight: "An ambulance worker receives a meager salary of Rs 11,700 and is forced to work over 12 hours daily. Employees are denied benefits and leaves, and they face constant threats of transfers and termination. This company must be blacklisted." Sharma warned that protests would persist if demands remain unmet.
Impact on Emergency and Maternal Health Services
The strike affects critical healthcare services statewide. The 108 ambulance service handles medical emergencies such as accidents and urgent health crises, while the 102 service specializes in assisting pregnant women and infants. With approximately 1,300 ambulance employees in Himachal Pradesh, the work stoppage poses a severe risk to public health and emergency response capabilities.
Kangra District Faces Parallel Disruptions from Vehicle Operators
In a related development, normal life was severely disrupted in Kangra district, where hundreds of commercial vehicle operators blocked roads to protest the Automated Testing Station (ATS) at Gahlian. This strike halted the movement of taxis, autos, trucks, and private buses, leading to the closure of many private schools as school buses ceased operations.
The ATS, established earlier this year to provide automated fitness certification for vehicles more efficiently, has drawn opposition due to higher testing fees and concerns that older vehicles might fail under stricter automated standards. This protest compounds the transportation challenges in the region, exacerbating the impact of the ambulance strike on daily life and mobility.
