New Delhi, Mar 9 (PTI) Declaring services rendered by anganwadi workers as “essential”, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal Wednesday imposed the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) for six months, prohibiting them for going on a strike.
The Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (DSAWHU), which has been on a strike since January 1 to demand increase in honorarium, respectable working hours and status as government employees, criticised the decision and said they will challenge it in the court on Thursday.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8, the DSAWHU took out a massive rally which saw the participation of thousands of anganwadi workers.
“The Anganwadi Workers are not considered government employees and as far as I know ESMA can only be invoked against government servants. The Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government and BJP-led Centre have been left scared by our strike and are using these tactics to scare,” DSAWHU president Shivani Kaul said on Wednesday.
According to an official notification, the services rendered by anganwadi workers were declared essential.
“…the Lt Governor of the National Capital Territory of Delhi is satisfied that the services of supplementary Nutrition, Immunization, Health Checkup, Referral Services, non-formal pre-school education and Nutrition & Health Education provided by Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers in Anganwadi Centres are essential services for the most vulnerable groups of the population including children up to 6 years of age, pregnant and lactating women of the National Capital Territory of Delhi and it is necessary and expedient to declare such services as essential services,” it read.
This prohibits the strike for a period of six months with effect from the date of issuance of this notification, it said.
Meanwhile, the LG handed over the charge of the Women and Child Development Department (WCD) to Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot. Rajendra Pal Gautam was serving as the WCD minister. He will continue to hold the other charges.
Gahlot also holds the charge of Law, Justice and Legislative Affairs, Revenue departments along with some other departments. PTI SLB TIR TIR
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