Pallavi Sharma
Shimla: Emergency ambulance services under the 102 and 108 schemes in Himachal Pradesh will be non-functional for 24 hours starting 8 pm on October 2, as ambulance workers go on strike over longstanding demands related to pay and working conditions.
The statewide strike — announced by the 102 and 108 Ambulance Employees Union affiliated with CITU — will continue until 8 pm on October 3, affecting lakhs of residents relying on these critical health transport services.
Emergency disruption in vital services
With over a hundred ambulances operating across the state under the National Health Mission (NHM), the temporary suspension of services is expected to disrupt emergency medical transport, including services for pregnant women, accident victims and patients needing urgent hospital transfers.
During the strike, ambulance employees will hold protests outside Deputy Commissioner offices across districts, urging the state government and NHM authorities to address their unmet demands.
Allegations of exploitation, policy violations
Union leaders have accused the NHM of violating multiple labour laws and court directives. According to CITU state president Vijender Mehra, ambulance employees are made to work 12-hour shifts without being paid even for eight hours’ worth of wages.
“Despite clear directions from the Himachal Pradesh High Court, Labour Court and the Labour Department, the exploitation of ambulance workers continues. Employees are denied minimum wages, overtime, proper EPF and ESI contributions and many are facing forced transfers or mental harassment,” Mehra said.
He further alleged that systemic lapses in the implementation of EPF and ESI have led to deductions from workers’ salaries without corresponding benefits, amounting to violations of both labour rights and constitutional protections.
Strike may escalate if demands ignored
The union has warned that if the government continues to ignore their grievances, the strike could escalate into a larger state-wide agitation. While acknowledging the critical nature of ambulance services, union leaders said the onus lies with the government to act responsibly and ensure fair treatment of frontline health workers.
“Ambulance services are directly linked to saving lives. But so are the rights and dignity of those who operate them. We’re ready to resume services but only if the government takes a serious, time-bound approach to resolving our issues,” said Mehra.
