HYDERABAD: The ‘108’ ambulances are bound to stay off the road for a few more days as the talks between the employees and the government have broken down.According to sources, commissioner of family welfare Y Srilakshmi and GVK -EMRI director K Krishnamraju and other officials held talks with the employees here on Friday.As many as 4,500 employees have been on strike for the past 12 days demanding acceptance of their demands.As the employees refused to work, Krishanamraju warned them that they would recommend to the state government to invoke ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) against them.The employees have been on strike demanding a hike in salaries, reduction in working hours from 12 hours to eight hours a day, postings in native districts and grant of bail to employees if ambulances are involved in accidents.The employees accuse EMRI HR department officials of harassing them on various grounds.But Krishnamraju refused to accept the major demands and threatened to recommend to the government invocation of ESMA against them for causing inconvenience to the public.He asked them to resume duties first for the government to address their demands.He made it clear that the government had no role to play in talks since the GVKEMRI was operating the services as per the MoU signed with the government.He recalled that the GVK -EMRI had recommended to the Uttarakhand state government to invoke ESMA against the striking ‘108’ employees there.Family welfare commissioner Srilakshmi left the meeting midway, sensing that the talks were not making any headway.New service: Pick up and Drop Facility for new MothersHYDERABAD: The GVK-EMRI which renewed its MoU with the state government for the ‘108’ emergency management services till 2016, has planned to further expand the service to benefit ‘poorest of the poor’.The GVK group which took over the Emergency Management and Research Institute in May 2009, has called upon all its employees to resume duties without any fear.The new MoU calls for expansion of 108 services with 48-hour pick and drop of mothers after deliveries in government hospitals.Further, it expects reducing both maternal and infant mortality in the state.The state government has provisioned significant investments through vehicle replacement (annually 10 percent of fleet), refurbish aged vehicles and upgrade communication technology between emergency response centre and fleet.Operating expenses henceforth will be released as quarterly advances and in conjunction with funds to be released for capital upgrades
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