The employees have raised multiple issues, including pending salaries, arbitrary deductions, and transfer policies that allegedly favour certain individuals. Despite repeated requests and even an official directive from the Labour Commissioner, there has been no action taken
The sound of sirens may still echo on Assam’s streets, but behind them lies a storm of frustration, anger, and unanswered questions. Ambulance workers, the very people who rush to save lives in emergencies, now find themselves in a crisis—fighting for their own survival. Their patience runs thin, and their voices, long ignored, are growing louder.
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For months, employees of the 108 Mrityunjoy Ambulance Service, operated by GVK EMRI, have been demanding basic rights—timely wages, fair treatment, and working conditions that allow them to serve the public effectively. But their pleas have been met with silence. Now, they are making one thing clear: if the authorities do not act, they are ready to take their fight to the streets.
When the Assam government handed over the 108 emergency ambulance service to Hyderabad-based GVK EMRI for five years, it was meant to strengthen the state’s healthcare system. But employees claim that instead of focusing on saving lives, the company is more concerned about profits.
They claim that several ambulances are being kept off the roads due to staff shortages and a lack of maintenance. Many vehicles remain unused due to issues with fuel supply, faulty tires, and mechanical breakdowns, while employees continue to work under pressure with little or no support from the organisation.
One of the employees stated, “The government’s intention was to provide emergency medical service to the people, but the company seems to be more interested in profits.
They reduce staff, delay repairs, and keep many ambulances off the roads at night. How will patients get timely help in emergencies?”
Pending Wages, Salary Cuts, and Ignored Demands
The employees have raised multiple issues, including pending salaries, arbitrary deductions, and transfer policies that allegedly favour certain individuals. Despite repeated requests and even an official directive from the Labour Commissioner, there has been no action taken.
Talking to GPlus, Pranjal, an employee of 108 Mrityunjoy Ambulance Service questioned, “It has been more than a year, and yet, the company has not paid the pending Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) of 2022. Why is our hard-earned money being withheld?”
Another employee talking to GPlus said, “Every month, our salaries are deducted without any valid reason. We have submitted proofs and asked why this is happening, but no one gives us an answer. When will this unfair salary deduction stop?”
Additionally, they alleged that the process of employee transfers is highly biased. “For the last three years, we have been requesting mutual transfers to be closer to our families. Some of us have aged parents who need care, some have medical issues. Yet, our applications are ignored. But how is it that employees who joined in 2023 or 2024 have already received transfers?” asked another worker.
Apart from financial concerns, employees also alleged mistreatment by some officials. Reports suggest that emergency medical executives (EMEs) in certain districts have been misbehaving with ambulance staff, allegedly under instructions from senior office personnel.
An employee stated, “Why are our colleagues being harassed by officials? Emergency service is meant to help people, yet we are being treated unfairly by our own organisation.”
Another major complaint is the alleged disparity in financial matters. “Funds are always available for office expenses, but when it comes to our deducted salaries, ambulance repairs, or even providing enough fuel for emergency vehicles, there is always a shortage of money,” an employee pointed out.
While officials of GVK EMRI Green Health Services have attempted to justify the delays, employees of the 108 Mrityunjoy Ambulance Service remain unconvinced. Their frustrations are not just about numbers on a balance sheet but about real-life struggles—families waiting for wages that never arrive, employees forced to work under impossible conditions, and patients left stranded when ambulances fail to reach them on time.
A 33-year-old resident in Ghoramara recalled how he struggled to find an ambulance when his mother fell critically ill in the early hours of June 12. "We called 108, but there was no ambulance available at 5:00 a.m. After waiting for a long time, a neighbour had to help us. We reached the hospital, but it was too late," he said.
Despite these on-ground realities, a senior official from GVK EMRI dismissed the concerns, insisting that the workers were "unnecessarily creating chaos." He pointed out that the delay in the Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) was not in their hands, as wage revisions under the Minimum Wages Act are controlled by the government.
"The notification for the VDA increment, which was supposed to be released in September 2023, was only issued in September 2024. That is beyond our control. However, we have already informed them that they will receive the VDA along with their salary in February 2025," the official told GPlus.
On the issue of pending provident fund payments, the official clarified that "Provident fund is a central government matter, not a mutual fund. It is not something we control."
According to GVK EMRI official, "There are 800 ambulances across Assam, with 27 in Guwahati. As per norms, there should be one Basic Life Support ambulance per 1 lakh population."
But workers question whether these numbers reflect reality. "Yes, they may have 800 ambulances on paper, but how many of them are actually operational? How many of them have enough fuel? How many of them are not stuck in workshops due to repairs? They cannot just throw numbers at us and expect us to believe everything is fine," said one worker.
Now the question remains: Will authorities take action before the situation spirals further out of control, or will they continue to delay until it’s too late?
