Nagaland govt bans doctors' stir, warns protesters of arrest

Kohima, July 17 (IANS) The Nagaland government has prohibited the state government doctors' indefinite cease work from Monday and warned them of arrest if they go for the agitation, Chief Secretary J. Alam announced on Sunday night.

The Nagaland In-Service Doctors' Association (NIDA) earlier announced to launch indefinite cease work from Monday, demanding the increase of age of superannuation for doctors to 65 for clinical and 62 for administrative. They said that their members would provide only emergency services in all the government hospitals and health centres and from July 21 onwards, cease work even there for an indefinite period.

The Chef Secretary, in a notification, said that the Governor has promulgated Nagaland Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1978 on being satisfied that in public interest it is necessary to do so, prohibiting the call for indefinite cease work by the NIDA from July 18.

"No doctor employed and deployed in any government health unit or facility shall go for agitation or cessation of work, and any such act shall be considered illegal. Any doctor employed and deployed in any government health unit and facility who goes for cessation of work or strike, under the Nagaland Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1978, shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to Rs 1,000 or with both," the notification said.

It also said that the strikers could be arrested without a warrant.