The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the State government to ensure that instances such as non-payment of salary to employees of the Kaniv ‘108’ ambulance network are not repeated.

The commission, in a directive to the Principal Secretary (Health), said the salary to the employees of the ambulance network was delayed as the company that manages the ambulance chain was not being given Union and State government funds. Ultimately, rights of patients were getting denied. The government should understand the emergency nature of the service provided by the ambulance network and take stringent steps to ensure that salary of the employees is not delayed.

The government should also explore the practicality of the demand to declare the Kaniv 108 ambulance service a public utility and bringing it under the Essential Services Maintenance Act, the commission said.

It was taking action on a complaint submitted by one Aneesh Manian along with news reports on a section of the ambulance employees stopping work owing to delay in salary payment.

The commission’s directive said Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd. (KMSCL) did not receive Union and State government funds for operating the 108 ambulance network till July 27, 2024. As a result, KMSCL owed an amount of ₹75.5 crore to the company that operated the ambulances. This resulted in non-payment of salary to the employees.