Govt invokes ESMA to prohibit strikes by State employees for next six months
Sunday, 18 June 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Uttarakhand government under chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has invoked relevant sections of the Uttar Pradesh Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) 1966 to prohibit all State services employees from going on strike for the next six months. In the notification issued by secretary Shailesh Bagauli, it is stated that all employees of State services will be prohibited from going on strike for six months from the date of issuance of the order by the governor. The government has taken this decision in view of the ongoing Char Dham Yatra and the possibility of disasters during the monsoon season which is expected to arrive in the State early next month.
It is pertinent to mention here that since the start of the Char Dham Yatra on the occasion of Akshya Tritiya on April 22, about 28 lakh people have already visited the Char Dham shrines. The government estimates that about 50 lakh people may visit these shrines during the six months they are open to the public.In addition to this, more than four crore people are expected to visit the State from July 3 to 17 when the Kanwad Yatra is scheduled to be held in the State. Apart from this the monsoon is expected to arrive in the State early next month. The rainy season in Uttarakhand is marked by increased risk of landslides and other disaster situations.
The State government has invoked ESMA to prohibit strikes by State government employees in the past too. Earlier in February, the Act was invoked to prevent strike by employees of the three power corporations of the State. In the previous year, the Act had been invoked during March to prohibit staff of the State’s School Education department from going on strike while in December 2021 it had been invoked to prevent doctors in the State from going on strike against the Central government’s decision to allow qualified Ayurvedic doctors to perform selected surgical procedures.
