SHILLONG: Meghalaya health minister James Sangma has urged the agitating EMRI workers to end their strike and return to work.

The Meghalaya health minister has termed the agitation by the Meghalaya EMRI Workers Union (MEMRIWU) as ‘unfortunate’.

He said that the ongoing strike by the Meghalaya EMRI workers may result in loss of lives, as those who are in urgent need of an ambulance service cannot avail it due to the agitation.

“To have an agitation like this is very unfortunate and we have expressed this to them and that they must cease the agitation immediately and come back to work,” Meghalaya health minister James Sangma said.

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James Sangma informed that a message has been conveyed to the agitating MEMRIWU that no state government in the country runs the 108 emergency services.

The Meghalaya health minister said that 108 emergency services have been outsourced to private parties.

Sangma added that the demand of the Meghalaya EMRI workers asking the state government to take over the 108 emergency service could be due to bad experiences with the present company.

He said that the Meghalaya government will go for fresh bids where a “better agency” will be engaged to run the emergency service.

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