Punjab invokes ESMA, directs striking nurses to return to work

Chandigarh: To end the ongoing strike by nursing staff at government medical colleges, which began on September 25, 2025, the Punjab government has invoked the East Punjab Essential Services (Maintenance) Act (ESMA). Despite the order, nurses have refused to return to work until their demands are met.

Nurses under the United Nurses Association of Punjab are demanding an upgrade in their pay grade. At present, they receive Rs 29,000 per month under a Rs 2,800 pay grade. They are seeking an increase in the grade to Rs 4,600, which would increase their monthly salary to nearly Rs 44,900.

The strike, now in its fifth day, has disrupted routine healthcare services at government medical colleges and attached hospitals in Patiala, Amritsar, and Mohali. OPD, ICU, NICU, PICU, operation theatres, and ward management have all been affected, though emergency services continue to function.

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Following this, the state’s principal secretary of medical education and research issued an order on Saturday stating that the strike had “seriously hampered delivery of essential health services” and warned that strict action would be taken against those refusing duty.

In the order, the government invoked the ESMA act, providing a justification and directed the doctors to return to their duties under the act, as per the latest media report by HT.

"Any violation of this order shall attract strict penal provisions under the said Act. This order shall come into force at once.… Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 4(1) of the East Punjab Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1947, the State Government hereby directs that all Nursing Staff and other essential medical personnel working in Government Medical Colleges and Hospitals in Punjab shall join their duties with immediate effect and shall not absent themselves from duty, leave their place of posting, or refuse to perform their duties, until further orders,” the notification read.

The order further added, "Whereas, the State of Punjab is currently grappling with one of the worst flood disasters in decades, impacting numerous villages and affecting lakhs of people, and the Government Medical Colleges and their attached hospitals are functioning as key referral centres for treatment of the affected population, with a large number of patients suffering from flood-related ailments and emergencies, the staff are not on duty. Therefore, they should immediately join their duties."

However, the protesting nurses have alleged that their struggle is not against patients but against unfair pay.

Speaking at the protest site outside Government Rajindra Hospital, Aarti Bali, president of the United Nurses Association of Punjab, said, “We are not against work, but our contribution cannot be ignored any longer. We want the government to recognize our services and give us the pay grade we deserve.”

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