MP govt invokes ESMA, 200 nurses arrested

Bhopal, Feb 3 (PTI) More than 200 nurses, who are onstrike, were today arrested as the state government decided toadopt stern measures in a bid to end the protest which has hithealth services across the state.

Even after provisions of Emergency ServicesMaintenance Act (ESMA) were invoked, more than 3500 nursesworking in the five hospitals attached to government medicalcolleges went on an indefinite strike yesterday, seekingpay-hike, and increase in retirement age to 65 from thecurrent 60.

More than 3500 nurses in Rewa, Gwalior, Jabalpur,Indore and Bhopal have gone on strike, Madhya Pradesh NursesAssociation'' Convener Laxmi Narayan Sharma told PTI.

Some nurses, who were protesting peacefully, werearrested from Hamadia hospital, he added.

He said that the striking nurses are demandingsalaries on par with their colleagues in the state''s publichealth and family welfare department. The nurses come understate''s medical education department and do not get thebenefits under 6th pay commission, he said.

Meanwhile, the state government''s press release saidthat 202 nurses were arrested, and 14 of them were suspendedfor violating ESMA in different parts of the state.

It said that the nurses at the government hospital andmedical college in Jabalpur had been asked to return to workor their services would be terminated.

The state government claimed that the strike had notaffected health services.