Tripura invokes ESMA after nurses complain of PPE crunch

AGARTALA: The Tripura government has invoked the Essential Services Management Act after a few nurses at a state-run hospital here complained about shortage of masks and other protective equipment in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Tripura is the second state after Madhya Pradesh to have enforced the 1986 Act, which gives the police the right to arrest without a warrant anybody violating the ESMA’S provisions. Under it, employees in a long list of “essential services” like post and telegraph, railway, airport and port operations are prohibited from going on strike.

The decision to invoke the Act came shortly after Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb warned that strict action would be taken against the nurses who complained to the media about a shortage of masks and other protective equipment at the staterun GB Pant Hospital here.

“In order to better manage the Covid-19 outbreak..., from today the government has implemented the Essential Services Management Act with immediate effect in Tripura,” Deb said late on Thursday night.

The Act mandates imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or fine which may extend to ~1,000, or with both, to any person who instigates a strike which is illegal under this Act.

Health Secretary Debashish Basu told reporters that showcause notices were issued against the 18 nurses who levelled the allegations of shortage. He said their attitude was condemnable during a tough times like this.

The chief minister said the state government has decided that officials of secretary level and above would only be allowed to interact with the media to check misinformation.

Deb said the states lone patient is recovering and he hoped she would recuperate soon.

According to official data, 985 persons are now in isolation in Tripura and of them, 829 are in home quarantine and 156 in staterun facilities.