Mokokchug, April 15 (MTNews): Even as the Nagaland In-service Doctors Association (NIDA) said that they would go ahead with the mass casual leave protest from April 18 to 20, the Nagaland State Government has cautioned NIDA members that those who do so would be liable for disciplinary action.
An order from the Nagaland Chief Secretary drew attention to Rule 25 of the Nagaland Government Servants Conduct Rules 1968 that prohibits government servants from participating in any form of strike, including mass casual leave or in any way abet any form of strike.
“There is no statutory provision empowering the employees to go on strike. The Supreme Court has also in several judgments agreed that going on strike is a grave misconduct under the Conduct Rules and should be dealt with, in accordance with the law,” the order said.
It further pointed to the fact that maintenance of public health and sanitation including hospitals and dispensaries are essential services. “The proposed mass casual leave is likely to cause severe disruption in medical care/ public health services and is, therefore, liable to endanger the lives, health and security of the people of the State,” the order observed.
Meanwhile, it said that as per the Fundamental Rule 17(1), an officer who is absent from duty without any authority shall not be entitled to any pay and allowances during the period of such absence. In light of this, the Nagaland Government has decided that no one shall be granted casual leave for the aforementioned period – April 18 to 20.
It further directed that Principal Director, Health & Family Welfare not to approve casual leave of any officers during the period, and if already granted, the approval shall be recalled/revoked.It further cautioned that any resort to illegal means of agitation shall be viewed seriously and besides deduction of salary on the principle of ‘no work, no pay,’ participants shall also be liable to disciplinary action for grave violation of Conduct Rules. The participants in the strike/agitation would also be liable for appropriate action under provisions of the law, the government order said.
The government order informed that “extensive deliberations have been held with NIDA and other stakeholders.” It said that matter has been considered by the government at the highest level, and on account of the fact that there was lack of consensus on either of the alternative options amongst NIDA and other stakeholders, further deliberations have been directed to be held. It added that the committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary is holding the deliberations.
NIDA said it would go ahead with a cease work protest for an indefinite period after the 3 days mass casual leave April 18 – 20, if no assurance is given by the government.
NIDA’s mass casual leave has been called as protest against the State Government’s failure to address the demand for increasing the superannuation age of doctors from 60 to 62 years as announced by the Prime Minister.