Bantwal: At the backdrop of the staff of ambulance service 108 began statewide protest beginning from Friday July 26 at 8.00pm, the state health department assigned KSRTC bus drivers to run ambulance service 108 on Friday July 26 night itself. The nurses from state-run hospitals were pressed to work in ambulance service 108.
It has been introduced in ambulance service 108, on the instructions of Dakshina Kannada (DK) district. The staff of ambulance service 108 has begun indefinite protest at Freedom Park, Bangalore since Sunday July 28. The leaders of ambulance service 108 contacted DK Deputy Commissioner N Prakash a few days ago, informing him of proposed protest and the authorities are responsible for the inconvenience resulting form their protest. At this backdrop, state-run KSRTC bus drivers were assigned to man the ambulance service 108.
Demand put forth..
The staff of ambulance service 108 who is working day and night to reach people in distress put forth their demands to both state authorities and contractor GVK Foundation that was assigned the contract to run the services by state administration. The union of ambulance service 108 demanded job security, to pay a minimum wages of Rs 15,000 per month, to run ambulance service 108 by the state authorities, in order to avoid harassment from the contractor. Accordingly, the staff of ambulance service 108 who are working in different locations across the state, arrived at Bangalore on Saturday July 27 night, in order to partake in massive protest in the state capital.
On the instructions of DC, KSRTC bus drivers and health department staff are assigned the duty to work in 16 numbers of ambulances in DK. Four cases were attended on Friday July 16 night itself. The ambulance services 108 are functioning unhindered, said acting district health officer Ramakrishna Rao.