Taking strict action against the lab technicians who went on strike a day before, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Tuesday ordered to suspend lab technicians in the State, who decided to go on strike despite increasing incidence of malaria, dengue and chikungunya. Besides, services of lab technicians working on contractual basis have been terminated.
Following the suspension orders and a meeting with Additional Chief Secretary Health, Rajan Kumar Gupta, the lab technicians association announced to withdraw their strike later in the afternoon. However, the Health Minister remained adamant and refused to withdraw the suspension orders.
The outspoken Minister also expressed disapproval of the meeting of technicians association with ACS Health.
During the meeting with representatives of the Haryana State laboratory Technicians Association (General) and (Malaria), the ACS Health had assured the association that their demand will be considered and examined promptly and a decision on them as per law and rules will be taken.
However, the Minister later in the evening refused to withdraw the suspension orders and said that new lab technicians would be engaged on contract basis. Vij also ordered to put the employees who took part in the meeting without taking leave from competent authority under suspension immediately.
The development came a day after Rajan Kumar Gupta was posted as Additional CS, Health Department in place of Prasanta Kumar Mahapatra.
The laboratory technicians, including those working in the malaria department, went on a two-day strike on Monday. They had staged dharna in various parts of the state and demanded their salaries and promotion pattern should be on a par with laboratory technicians of the Centre.
While talking to the mediapersons, Anil Vij on Tuesday said that the work in hospitals would not be interrupted and for this, new lab technicians would be engaged on contract basis.
Stating that people in the state were facing problems due to water-borne diseases, he said that in such circumstances, the lab technicians had announced to go on strike by giving only three days’ notice, which is against humanity.
The Minister said that during this period, some members of the lab technicians’ union had met the Additional CS of the Department. I have directed to suspend those employees whose signatures were found on the petition, besides those employees who had not joined their duty on Tuesday morning, said he.
Vij added that the State Government had a day before declared the strike as illegal and directed them to get back to work. After this, some lab technicians joined their duty, but several employees were found absent from their duty. Therefore, those who were found absent have been suspended and services of contractual employees have been dispensed with, said he.
The Minister added that process for fresh recruitment would soon begin and till then, doctors and nursing staff would serve the people.