Chandigarh: Around 1,500 nursing staff across three government medical colleges, including Mohali, went on strike in Punjab, prompting the state government to invoke the East Punjab Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1947 (ESMA).
The government has directed all striking employees to immediately resume duty, but the nursing staff has refused to comply and decided to continue their agitation.
The strike, which began on March 26, has been called over long-pending demands, primarily the restoration of ₹4,600 grade pay. Nurses across the state are protesting under the banner of the United Nurses Association of Punjab.
Association president Ramanjeet Singh Gill said the protest was not sudden, adding that the nursing staff had been raising their demands for the past five to six years. He said the grade pay was reduced from ₹4,600 to ₹2,800 in 2021, significantly impacting salaries and causing widespread resentment among the nursing cadre.
Gill added that while multiple meetings with successive governments acknowledged the demand as justified, no concrete action has been taken so far.
Despite ESMA being enforced by the Medical Education Department, nursing staff at government medical colleges in Amritsar, Patiala and Mohali continued their protest, warning that the agitation would intensify if their demands are not met soon.
