HC disposes PIL

The Madras High Court today
disposed a PIL seeking to declare the proposed strike call by the 108 Ambulance Workers Union of Tamil Nadu on October 21 as illegal.
The First Bench Comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sathyanarayanan recorded submission of Government Pleader S T S Moorthy that conciliation process is going on and proceedings in terms of Section 22 (i)(d) of the Industrial Disputes Act is next listed tomorrow.
The bench in its order said the Government has ensured that the services are maintained and the services provided are Public Utility Services and thus if there is any breach of the Statutory provisions, the strike will be declared illegal and the Government will take appropriate action.

The Bench said in view of the statement by the Government Pleader no directions is required.
The PIL filed by E Ramachandran, an advocate, said one GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute (GVKEMRI), a NGO is the provider of Emergency Ambulance Services (108 ambulance service) in Tamil Nadu under an agreement with the Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project.

They were operating 684 Ambulances in the state and employing more than 3600 persons. They have been providing this service ever since 2008.
He submitted that every day about 65,000 calls are being received by the 108 Ambulance Services out of which 3500 emergency calls.

Its Union had given strike notice on October 6 stating that they would go on a 24 hours strike from 8 pm on October 21 demanding 20 per cent bonus.
The petitioner said that he apprehended that being a Public Utility Service if the strike goes on the Deepavali day it will have serious ramifications as often the instances of fire occur on the said day and prayed to declare the strike as illegal.