PANJIM: In a surprise move, the State government has invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) for transport services for the carriage of passengers or goods to tackle strikes, for a period of six months. However, no transport operators have called for any strike or protest in the current scenario.
“Government of Goa in exercise of the powers conferred upon it by sub-section (1) of Section 3 of the Goa Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1988 and being satisfied that in the public interest it is necessary so to do, hereby prohibits strike in any form in all transport services for the carriage of passengers or goods by land or water in the State of Goa with immediate effect. This order shall be valid for a period of six months from the date of issue,” a notification signed by Under Secretary (Home) P U Gaonkar states.
Sources in the government stated that the order is routine in nature even as no strike by any transport operator has been announced. “It is a routine procedure. ESMA has a validity of six months, and to keep it live, it is invoked again to act as a deterrent against possible strike in future. There is no specific reason for issuing ESMA again,” the official said.
