Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to ban strikes by health workers.
The ESMA will remain in force for six months, the Home Department said.
“In the interest of public, it is necessary to prohibit strikes in the form of cessation of work by the Nurses, Paramedics, Technicians, other class-III and Class-IV employees etc. including contractual employees in services/engagements connected with maintenance of medical services in the Government Hospitals and Dispensaries in the State like District Head Quarters Hospitals, Sub- Divisional Hospitals, Area Hospitals, Community Health Centres, Primary Health Centres, Municipality Hospitals, ESI Hospitals etc. including Medical Colleges and Hospitals run by Government and other autonomous Health Institutions receiving Grant-in-aid from State Government, specifically AHRCC, Regional Spinal Injury Centre including Jail Hospitals, Police Hospitals etc. so that health care delivery system in the State is not affected or disrupted”, the Home Department said in an official order.