Karnataka bans strike by officials, doctors as Covid cases spike
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Bengaluru: Karnataka on Monday banned officials and healthcare warriors from going on a strike.
National Disaster Management Act is kicked in the state witnessing a surge in covid cases.
Chief Secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar in an order said: "Public servants, healthcare personnel, regular, contractual and outsourced employees of the state Health Department are prohibited from going on strike, non-cooperation and disobeying or refusing to work in view of the Covid-19 pandemic across the state,"
Disobeying or refusing work entrusted by their superiors on containing the pandemic would amount to violation of the provisions of the state Civil Services Act, the order warned.
About 5,000 state-run doctors had struck work last month affecting Covid care, but returned to work after Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar talked them out, assuring their grievances including for a pay hike, additional personnel to manage covid cases, and adequate medical equipment like PPP kits to protect them, would be redressed.
Reporting 7,051 new cases till Sunday, the state's Covid tally rose to 6,47,712, including 1,15,477 active cases, while 5,22,846 were discharged and 9,370 succumbed to the infection so far.
As the epicentre of the disease, Bengaluru accounted for 2,52,229 cases, including 5,412 active while 1,95,015 have been discharged till date and 3,101 died so far.
This report from IANS has been edited