PORVORIM: The State government has proposed to enhance punishment against persons, who employed in essential services, resort to illegal strikes.
The Goa Essential Services Maintenance (Amendment) Bill, 2020, tabled by Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant in the Goa Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, has stated that the present provision of the Act are non-cognisable in nature, which limits police action as they have no powers to arrest the perpetrators without warrant.
This, he said, results in cessation of work from the persons employed in any essential services thereby inflicting grave hardship to public at large. So also, the period of prescribed punishment is on the lower side which is required to be enhanced in order to prevent strikes for maintenance of public utility services.
“The Bill seeks to amend Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the Goa Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1988 (Goa Act No. 20 of 1989), so as to increase the punishment provided in the said Sections to have deterrent effect and prevention of offence. Amendment to Section 9 is consequent in nature,” the Bill states.
