Bhubaneswar: Employees of the 108 ambulance service in Odisha initiated a statewide strike on Wednesday, citing unfair pay and job losses among their concerns.
Reports indicate that the employees are protesting for equal pay for equal work, along with gratuity and other benefits. As a part of their protest, the 108 ambulance staff have chosen to disable GPS tracking while still providing services to patients.
There is concern that this action may lead to disruptions in emergency medical services throughout the state. The effects of the protest are already apparent in the Angul district, where employees have vowed to intensify their actions.
They claim that the change in management of the 108 ambulance services in Odisha has resulted in job cuts and wage discrepancies. Furthermore, they have not yet received a special relief package promised by the former BJD government.
The employees have declared that the protest will persist, with the GPS systems turned off until their demands are met.