NAINITAL: As patients across the hill state continued to suffer due to the ongoing strike by the nursing staff, the high court on Friday ordered the Uttarakhand Nurses Services Association to immediately call off their strike and join duty. The court has also directed the chief secretary and the principal secretary, health department, to meet the association members and resolve the matter by Friday evening and inform it on Monday about the developments.
The state human rights commission has also issued notice to the director general of health services regarding the ongoing strike.
Health services across the state were severely hit since September 3 as more than 1,200 government nursing staff went on a three-day mass leave demanding implementation of grade pay and filling up of all vacant posts. Now, the association has threatened to go on an indefinite strike from September 14 if the authorities concerned failed to address their grievances.
The HC had on Thursday asked the state government to clear its stand on the ongoing strike by the nursing staff across the state. Two public interest litigations were also filed regarding the matter on Thursday, which were clubbed together for the hearing.
The petitions said that despite the state government invoking ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) on September 3 prohibiting strikes, the Uttarakhand Nurses Services Association called a state-wide protest. In February, the state government had issued a notification declaring the services of all employees in health and family welfare department as 'essential services' under ESMA provisions.
One of the petition mentions that due to the ongoing strike, poor patients are suffering the most as they can't afford expensive treatment in private clinics and hospitals. Lata Negi, one of the petitioners said, "It is a welcome decision by the honourable high court. Patients will not suffer any more."
In her plea, the petitioner has said that no government servant can go on strike or incite others to protest according to Rule 22 of the Uttarakhand Government Servants Conduct Rules 2002.
The state human rights commission has also issued notice to the director general of health services regarding the ongoing strike.
Health services across the state were severely hit since September 3 as more than 1,200 government nursing staff went on a three-day mass leave demanding implementation of grade pay and filling up of all vacant posts. Now, the association has threatened to go on an indefinite strike from September 14 if the authorities concerned failed to address their grievances.
The HC had on Thursday asked the state government to clear its stand on the ongoing strike by the nursing staff across the state. Two public interest litigations were also filed regarding the matter on Thursday, which were clubbed together for the hearing.
The petitions said that despite the state government invoking ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) on September 3 prohibiting strikes, the Uttarakhand Nurses Services Association called a state-wide protest. In February, the state government had issued a notification declaring the services of all employees in health and family welfare department as 'essential services' under ESMA provisions.
One of the petition mentions that due to the ongoing strike, poor patients are suffering the most as they can't afford expensive treatment in private clinics and hospitals. Lata Negi, one of the petitioners said, "It is a welcome decision by the honourable high court. Patients will not suffer any more."
In her plea, the petitioner has said that no government servant can go on strike or incite others to protest according to Rule 22 of the Uttarakhand Government Servants Conduct Rules 2002.
TOI
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