In compliance to the lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court order the State Government on Wednesday invoked ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) against the striking doctors asking them to return to work immediately.
A government spokesman told The Pioneer here that as per the directives of High Court order the Government has decided to invoke ESMA against the striking junior doctors. “We again appeal to the doctors to return to work immediately and attend to the ailing patients,” the spokesman said.
The strike of the junior doctors entered fifth day on Wednesday bringing the health services to a screeching halt. The doctors of Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Medical College in Kanpur were beaten up mercilessly by police when some of them had a heated argument with ruling party legislator from Aryan Nagar Irfan Solanki. The junior doctors of GSVM college first went into flash strike and it spread to other districts including Agra, lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Etawah.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had earlier requested the doctors to call off their agitation. He also ordered a high level enquiry into the matter but this failed to placate the students.Spokesman said that violation of ESMA might lead to legal as well as departmental proceedings.