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Dimapur, April 10 (EMN): Chief Secretary of Nagaland, J Alam has requested the Nagaland In-Service Doctors’ Association (Nida) to withdraw its proposed agitation in view of the ongoing pandemic and join hands with the government to find an early solution to the superannuation age issue.
Alam along with senior government officials held a meeting with Nida representatives after the latter decided to resort to taking “mass casual leave” from April 12 to the 14th before resorting to “indefinite cessation of routine works” starting on April 15 in view of the government’s failure to fulfil its demand to extend superannuation age of doctors in the state.
In an appeal letter addressed to the president of Nida, the chief secretary reminded that the state Cabinet had in its meeting on April 7 deferred the matter for further consultation and not closed. He added that the government has been ‘considering the matter since it was reopened in December last year, and taken up by the Cabinet twice besides having a consultation with the student body through the Cabinet sub-committee headed by Deputy CM.
“It was impressed upon the office bearers of Nida that Nagaland, like the rest of the country, is battling the Covid pandemic for more than one year and now the second wave is staring at us. Further, the vaccination drive needs to be intensified and testing, tracking and treatment of Covid cases have to be continued without any disruption.
“Since the Disaster Management Act, 2005 is still in force and the health services are an essential service under the Nagaland Essential Services (Maintenance Act, 1978) such disruptive action will be illegal. Moreover, the disruption in health services would be extremely detrimental for the general public at this point of time,” read the letter.
Assuring Nida to make all efforts to fast-track the consultation process, Alam “offered to the office bearers to be part of the consultations, jointly review on a fortnightly basis, and work closely with the government to resolve the matter in an amicable manner”.