Punjab Government imposes ESMA till Oct 31 as revenue staff calls for indefinite strike
PTC News Desk: The Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) in response to requests for "pen-down strikes" from revenue authorities and workers at deputy commissioners' offices and ordered barring of strike by any form of employees in order to tackle with post-flood situation in the state.
The ESMA is especially enforced on the revenue authorities and workers including Patwaries, Kanugoes, Circle Revenue officers and other employees posted in all the districts of Punjab announced to go on indefinite strike from September 1 and other staff of Deputy Commissioner office to observe a pen-down strike from September 11-13 .
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The Bhagwant Mann-led Government enforced ESMA to warn the revenue and deputy commissioners ‘ staff with strict and legal action if they continued the strike.
Under the ESMA, all the revenue officers and deputy commissioner office staff has been instructed to not leave their current post and designations until October 31 or until further orders. Violation of the ESMA orders would result in severe penalties under the Act.
The official order reads, “Due to incessant rainfall and release of water from Bhakhra, Ranjit Sagar and Pong dams, almost all the districts in the State of Punjab are facing floods and immediate disbursement of relief material is needed for those flood affected population. To ensure this, the cutting edge officials including Patwaries, Kanugoes, Circle Revenue officers, other officers and officials in Deputy Commissioner offices have been put on duty. Their services, as such, are required round-the-clock both in the field as well as their respective offices in order to secure proper maintenance of essential supplies of relief materials, disbursement of crop compensation to the farmers et al to the flood affected population and maintenance of public order in the entire State of Punjab.”
The order further states, “Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub- section (1) of section 4 of the East Punjab Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1947( Punjab Act No. 13 of 1947), the State Government hereby directs all the Revenue officials/ officers including Patwaries, Kanugoes, Circle Revenue officers and other Deputy Commissioner Office employees posted in all the districts of Punjab that they shall not leave their place of posting OR their areas of respective work jurisdiction till 31st day of October, 2023 or till further orders, whichever is earlier. Any violation of this order shall attract strict penal provisions under the said Act.”
Meawhile, Bhagwant Mann also took to his X handle (former Twitter) and issued a warning to Patwaries, Kanugoes and DC office workers. He wrote, “I want to tell you to strike pen but later, the government will decide whether to give the pen to a few hands or not.. We have many educated unemployed people who are ready to take your pen.. People of Punjab will not be allowed to suffer.”(As per the translation version of CM Mann tweet)
ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਮੁਤਾਬਕ ਪਟਵਾਰੀ..ਕਾਨੂੰਨਗੋ..ਕਿਸੇ ਰਿਸ਼ਵਤ ਮਾਮਲੇ ਚ ਫਸੇ ਅਪਣੇ ਇੱਕ ਸਾਥੀ ਦੇ ਹੱਕ ਚ..ਅਤੇ ਡੀਸੀ ਦਫ਼ਤਰ ਕਰਮਚਾਰੀ ਆਪਣੀਆਂ ਨਿੱਜੀ ਮੰਗਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਆਉਂਦੇ ਦਿਨਾਂ ਚ ਕਲਮ ਛੋੜ੍ਹ ਹੜਤਾਲ ਕਰਨਗੇ..ਮੈਂ ਦੱਸਣਾ ਚਾਹੁੰਦਾ ਹਾਂ ਕਿ ਕਲਮ ਛੋੜ੍ਹ ਹੜਤਾਲ ਕਰੋ ਪਰ ਬਾਅਦ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਲਮ ਥੋਡੇ ਹੱਥਾਂ ਚ ਦੇਣੀ ਹੈ ਜਾਂ ਨਹੀਂ ਇਹ ਫੈਸਲਾ ਸਰਕਾਰ… — Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) August 30, 2023
The Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) is a legislative framework that exists to ensure the smooth functioning of essential services during times of unrest or strikes that could disrupt critical services and harm public interest. It grants specific powers to the government to prevent disruptions in essential services and can be used to prevent striking workers from refusing to work in certain critical services that are required to maintain the country's normal way of life.
- With inputs from agencies
