Shimla, Mar 14
CPI(M) Member Rakesh Singha raised the issue of firing of several employees of 108 Ambulance scheme being run by the state government outsourcing the work to another private company in the state assembly on Monday.
Singha raising the issue in the question hour said that despite orders have been issued by the Court that in the 108 Ambulance scheme state government is principal employers and it could not run away from the responsibility to continue their services as these employees were trained by the state government before inducting them in the GVK EMR company. He said that the government now handed over this work to other companies therefore it is the responsibility of the state government being principal employers to provide them pending salaries and continue their services.
He said that in the writ petition admitted by the court Himachal Pradesh Government was made a party as principal employers. Singha said that in every outsource services state HP is the principal employer and it could not leave the outsource employees at the mercy of the contractors or companies to exploit them.
Responding to the member’s queries in the matter, Health Minister Dr Rajiv Sehjal said that services of 2337 people were engaged in the National Ambulance Service-108 TO GVK – EMRI company from 2013 onwards on different dates. He said that now this work was handed over to the other firms by the State Government. He said that GVK EMRI has challenged the court order in the High Court in which the department as a respondent has filed a reply in the High court. He informed that full and final settlement of dues of employees of the GVK EMRI is being done gradually for its 1000 employees and Gratuity of the employees being paid. He said that every employer may be it a contractor, company or any public limited, is bound under the rule. The ambulance scheme is running under guidelines in which the State is not the principal employer. Quoting a judgment of the labour commissioner in this matter Minister said that the court held that the state did not fall in norms of an employer. This decision was also challenged by the company in the high court which is pending in the court. ” The impression being created by the member as if the state government is not sensitive toward the issue of the outsource employees; however, the government is not running away from any such issue. He assured to sort out the pending issues of the outsourced 108 employees and funds tune to Rs 2 Crore of performance Guarantee is also pending with the state Government.
