As administration in Manipur is crippled by the government employees' strike, the Union government has asked Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh to find a solution to the impasse.
Despite the government's threat of action and police intervention, the Secretariat was deserted on Saturday. The employees are demanding pay scale revision as recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission.
In a statement, employees of the Public Health Engineering, Public Works Department and Irrigation and Flood Control Departments said they would join the strike on Monday. The employees of the Manipur Legislative Assembly Secretariat will join the strike on Tuesday.
The police have arrested three employees of the Public Health Engineering under the Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1984.
The striking employees do not agree with Mr. Singh's contention that the government has no money left to pay up the arrears from January 1, 2006.
If the Arunachal Pradesh government could pay, they counter, there was no reason why the Manipur government could not.
As invocation of ESMA and no-work no-pay rule have not worked, a team of Ministers has been constituted to hold talks with the leaders of the employees.
