Covid-19: Karnataka prohibits strike by doctors, health staff

The Karnataka government has prohibited strikes, non-cooperation and any other form of disobedience by public servants and health workers engaged in providing health services related to Covid-19.

Chief Secretary of the state T M Vijay Bhaskar passed an order to this effect on Sunday in the wake of doctors, paramedics and health workers on government job or hired on contractual basis going on strike and threatening to stop work. In the order, the Chief Secretary said, "...as Chairman of the State Executive Committee, I hereby prohibit strikes, non-cooperation, disobeying or refusal to work related to health services; non-submission of reports, non-compliance to the orders issued by the higher authorities by any public servant, health personnel..."

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Noting that the state government has declared Covid-19 as an epidemic, the order said. "Disobeying or refusal of the work...will amount to contravention of the provisions of the said Acts, Rules or Orders," the order said. The order comes in the wake of rising coronavirus cases in the state. As on Sunday evening, cumulatively there were 6.41 lakh infections and 9,286 fatalities. Last week saw daily infections peaking over 10,000 cases.