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Government invokes ESMA

BHUBANESWAR: The Orissa government on Friday invoked ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) holding the mass resignation threat by government doctors in the State as illegal.

Members of Orissa Medical Services Association (OMSA) had threatened not to attend duties from November 9 demanding restructuring of their service cadre, doctors’ safety in the workplace and reinstatement of three doctors.

The government had decided to dismiss three doctors who were accused of ‘chopping off’ palms of tribals who were killed in police firing in Kalinga Nagar area on January 2, 2006.

During the day hectic parleys were held by State government to diffuse the tension, but the stalemate continued.

OMSA members also met Health Minister Sanatan Bisi and discussed contentious issues at the Secretariat. However, when they emerged from the meeting there was no semblance of solution.

Earlier in the day, the situation worsened when news of acceptance of resignation tendered by seven leaders of OMSA was flashed by news channels. There were also reports that State government was mulling over transferring other leaders from Bhubaneswar to far away places.

It triggered immediate reactions.

Addressing a press conference here earlier, OMSA president Madhusudan Mishra said State government’s approach of punishing doctors had made the matter worse as several doctors posted in peripheral regions started to leave their hospitals. OMSA sources said some doctors from Baliguda area in Kandhamal district and parts of Rairangpur reached the capital city on Friday.

Impact of the threat could be well visible in the Capital Hospital here itself.

The hospital, which receives around 3000 outdoor patients everyday, witnessed drastic fall in the inflow of patients. Relatives of patients admitted in the hospital started to inquire about vacancy in nearby private nursing homes although they were hopeful of end to the stalemate.

Dr. Mishra ridiculed the government’s attempt to deploy homeopathic and ayurvedic doctors in the event of mass absentee.

OMSA president announced that, “there is no question of calling off our strike unless the State government addresses our concern. We will rather favour court arrest in the event of ESMA is invoked.”

Meanwhile, the association got in touch with their counterparts in neighbouring States. “The Andhra Pradesh Doctors’ Association has confirmed that their health department has not received any requisition from Orissa government. Moreover, they have extended their support to our ongoing agitation,” OMSA general secretary Jyoti Prakash Biswal said.

Dr. Biswal said OMSA requested the Orissa chapter of Indian Medical Association to take up their case at national level so that their demands should not be misconstrued.

The association also sought IMA’s help to make their mass-resignation agitation a success.

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