Has government got cold feet?

BHUBANESWAR: Even as health services in the three Government-run medical colleges have been paralysed for a week following cease-work by the medicos and patients are left to fend for themselves, the State Government does not seem very keen on enforcing the Orissa Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).The Government had invoked ESMA on September 9, four days after the strike by the students of the VSS Medical, Burla. The VSS authorities had closed the institute sine die on September 7 following clash between medicos and president of BJD’s Burla town unit Sisir Kumar Dandia.Extending support to the agitating students of VSS, junior doctors and medical students of SCB Medical, Cuttack, and MKCG Medical, Berhampur, went on strike from September 14.Despite several rounds of discussions between the agitating students and the Government, there has been no breakthrough yet. With the students sticking to their guns, no solution seems in sight. The Government invoked ESMA to prevent strikes by doctors, nurses, paramedics, technicians and Class III and IV employees in services in Government, municipality and ESI hospitals, including medical colleges and hospitals. The Government stand against enforcing ESMA even after 12 days of its promulgation has baffled many. The order will be in force for six months.With no immediate solution in sight, the BJP Yuva Morcha (BJYM) on Tuesday sought the intervention of Governor MC Bhandare.A delegation of the BJYM, comprising State general secretary Ramakanta Patnaik and secretary Sanjay Sahu, submitted a memorandum to the Governor demanding immediate arrest of Dandia.