CATS contractual workers call off strike

NEW DELHI: Contractual employees of the Centralised Ambulance Trauma Services (CATS) withdrew their strike on late night Wednesday. However, ambulance services were still reeling, as only a few vehicles began plying on Thursday morning.

The strike was withdrawn 'unconditionally' after Delhi government took strict action against agitating CATS contractual staff, who have been on strike since November 1, bringing life-saving essential service to a grinding halt.

On Saturday, after getting approval from Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, the Delhi government had enforced the Haryana Essential Services Maintenance Act (HESMA), prohibiting the contractual staf from going on strike for the next six months.

However, three men were arrested on charges of instigating employees to go on strike work even after the imposition of HESMA.

"BVG-UKSAS has thanked Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, other senior officials and the Delhi government for imposing the HESMA, well reinforced by Delhi Police and facilitating the end of the agitation," said M K Rawat, Head of Operations of BVG-UKSAS EMS, the company in charge of maintaining CATS ambulances.

Rawat added that the company was hopeful that contractual employees will ensure flawless 102 ambulance services in the national Capital from Thursday.

"For the past few months, we had been facing severe obstacles from a section of the contractual employees," said Rawat.

Officials said that during the protests, agitating contractual employees had vandalised nearly 200 ambulances under the emergency fleet.

Rawat added that BVG-UKSAS is now working overtime to get the damaged fleet repaired as early as possible and deploy them to serve the needy.

According to CATS officials, BVG-UKSAS had earlier reported similar incidents of workers sabotaging ambulance services by damaging vehicles, oxygen cylinders, consuming liquor on duty, and not carrying out their required duties.