The West Garo Hills district administration has imposed the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) today after the striking workers of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) under the banner of the Non Gazetted Employees’ Association (NGEA) continued their strike and disrupted water supply in Tura that fall under its jurisdiction.
In an ex-parte order by the DC, Ram Singh, said that it had come to its notice that employees under certain union of the GHADC had abstained from work and stopped the supply of essential water to certain localities under its jurisdiction, while also calling the same a gross violation of fundamental rights of people of the areas deprived.
The order added that in order to ensure the smooth and uninterrupted supply of water, ESMA–1981 was being imposed with immediate effect, prohibiting any strike with relation to the supply of water and essential services to households.
Further the administration also imposed Sec 144 CrPC prohibiting any groups of persons distributing supply of water to households of various localities under Tura. The order also directed the EE, PHE to ensure supply of water to the affected areas as pre requisite with immediate effect.
Lastly the order warned that failure to comply with the order would be taken very seriously and action taken as per the provisions of the law.
