On the third day of a statewide strike by contractual medical workers, the Chhattisgarh Health Department on Monday warned that they could be sacked if they don't return to work.
Dr Priyanka Shukla, Mission Director of the National Health Mission (NHM), issued the warning while terming the strike as "completely wrong".
“The indefinite strike of contractual employees working under NHM during the corona pandemic is completely wrong. Currently the Chhattisgarh Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) 1979 is in force according to which not willing to work for health services is barred,” Dr Shukla said in a communication.
Also, under the Disaster Management Act 2005, for any officer or employee deployed in disaster management not to do their duty is a crime, the Director said.
She appealed to the contractual workers to end their strike or else face termination and other action.
On Sunday, about 13,000 NHM workers went on an indefinite strike demanding their regularization. Chhattisgarh is facing a critical phase of Covid infection. By September 20, more than 85,000 people had been infected by the virus in the state.