Uttarakhand Government has imposed ESMA on the Department of Medical Health and Medical Education in the wake of the coronavirus. Under this, the strike of all the doctors and personnel of the department is prohibited for six months and declared these services as urgent services.
Key Point.
- After the approval of the Governor, the government has prohibited the strike of doctors, paramedical and other employees of the Health Department under the Uttar Pradesh Essential Services Maintenance of Act 1966.
- In Uttarakhand, infected persons of the coronavirus have been increased at this time. The state government has already declared it an epidemic.
- The government is taking all possible steps to prevent the coronavirus spread. At present, the government employees are on strike for reservation in promotion in the state.
What is ESMA?
- The Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) is an act that was established to ensure the delivery of certain services, which if obstructed would affect the normal life of the people. This includes services like public transport (bus services), health services (doctors and hospitals).
- Governments decide to impose ESMA because the strike is expected to affect the services required by the people. Whereas the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) is the law that is enforced to maintain the mandatory services.
- In the form of ESMA, the government has a weapon that can crush the demand of employees whenever they want, especially ban on strikes and arrest employee leaders without warrants. After the enforcement of ESMA, if the employee joins the strike, then it is considered illegal and punishable.