Court asks government to tell terms of settlement

Shimla, Mar 30 (UNI) The Himachal Pradesh High Court today directed the state government to put on record the terms of settlement that ended the strike of the resident doctors of the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC).

The state government should explain what steps it would take to avert any similar situation in future, a division bench of the court comprising Chief Justice V K Gupta and Justice V K Ahuja said on a PIL filed by one Divender Negi.

''My worry is how to deal with the doctors when they hold the authorities to ransom,'' Mr. Gupta said.

Observing that Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) President, Rajesh Sood and Principal Secretary Health Harinder Hira had informed the court that the strike by the doctors was called off and they had resumed work, the judges said that it did not prevent them from examining the basic issues involving the strike.

''We will like to know what terms of settlement led to the calling off of the strike. The issue calls for a detailed reply by the government since they hold importance for the future as well,'' Mr Gupta said.

He also issued directions to implead RDA President as a respondent in the case.

Soon after the hearing in the case resumed, in the afternoon, the petitioner's counsel submitted before the court that the majority of resident doctors were general duty officers who were drawing full salary and hence had no justification to agitate.

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