Shillong, Jan 5: The Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) on Wednesday extended its suppport to the agitating GVK-EMRI workers, threatening to intensify the stir if government doesn’t meet the demands of EMRI workers.

HNYF President Sadon Blah said there are many irregularities in the functioning of GVK-EMRI in Meghalaya, including the payment of the employees and absence of bare necessities required for an office. He also claimed that, according to reports, about Rs. 50 crore have been siphoned off in the past 10 years since the GVK-EMRI services started its operations in the state.

He further demanded that Government should not outsource the services to contractors from outside but rather devise a strategy to run the emergency 108 services itself, suggesting that the Directorate of Health Services can run the services.

He also demanded that the Government should not extend the contract of the company after it expires in March 2021.

Blah warned that if the government does not terminate contract with the company, the HNYF will shut down the GVK-EMRI operations themselves and even consider intensifying their agitations.

Meanwhile, President of Meghalaya EMRI Workers Union (MEMRIWU), Microlina Syiemlieh, informed that the union had a zoom meeting with Principal Health Secretary Sampath Kumar on Wednesday,  who has assured that the department has taken their demands into consideration.

However, she said, they will continue with their agitation untill they don’t receive a written assurance that the Government promising to fullfill their demands.

It may be mentioned that the GVK-EMRI employees have ceased all services across the state from Monday midnight. The employees are demanding an increase in their salaries as well as delinking them from GVK and regularisation of their services.