Agitation of nurses enters 10th day, delegation to meet chief secy

Bhubaneswar: A delegation of the agitating nurses is scheduled to meet chief secretary B K Pattnaik today afternoon following displeasure of the contractual nurses’ association over the decision of the health department to regularise all nurses worked above six years.

The nurses are demanding regularisation of all the nurses including NRHM and salary and allowances as per 6th Pay Commission. On Monday though the health department agreed to regularise all the nurses worked above six years, the decision could not satisfy the members leading to a meeting with chief secretary last evening. The department had also assured to create additional posts as per requirement.

The association is hopeful about today’s meeting.

Mean while Odisha High Court on Monday issued a notice to All Odisha Contractual Nurses Association to explain as to why the provisions of ESMA would not be applicable to the striking nurses.

A division bench of Chief Justice V Gopala Gowda and Justice S K Mishra admitting a PIL filed in this respect asked the High Court registry to rush an order of the High Court to the Association president by a special messenger so that the respondent replies to the notice soon.

The Bench posted the matter for full and final hearing to Wednesday.