HP: Shimla Administration invokes Essential Services Act, bans proposed sanitation workers' strike

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India] May 15 (ANI): The Shimla district administration has prohibited the proposed indefinite strike by sanitation workers of the SEHB (Shimla Environment, Heritage Conservation and Beautification) Society Welfare Workers Union, scheduled to commence from May 15, citing concerns over public health, sanitation and tourism during the peak summer season.
District Magistrate of Shimla District, Anupam Kashyap, issued an order under the Himachal Pradesh Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1973, directing sanitation workers to continue uninterrupted waste management services in the city.
The action follows a communication from the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Shimla, informing the administration about the union's proposed strike call.
According to the order, the SEHB Society has been handling door-to-door garbage collection and waste disposal in Shimla since 2010, and any disruption in services could lead to a severe sanitation crisis in the hill town.
The administration said accumulation of garbage would pose serious threats to public hygiene, environmental safety and health, besides causing inconvenience to residents and tourists visiting the city during the ongoing summer season.
Invoking provisions of the Essential Services Act, the District Magistrate directed employees of the SEHB Society not to disobey lawful orders issued during the course of employment or abandon duties without reasonable cause.
The order warned that any violation would invite legal action under the provisions of the Himachal Pradesh Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1973. The directive has come into immediate effect and will remain in force until further notice
Meanwhile, in a symbolic gesture of solidarity with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for fuel conservation amid the ongoing West Asia crisis, Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta on May 13 announced a comprehensive set of measures at Lok Bhavan aimed at reducing fuel consumption, promoting austerity, and positioning the state as a model in India's collective response to global energy challenges, as per a press release.
Governor Kavinder Gupta announced that Lok Bhavan will henceforth function as a designated 'Fuel Conservation Zone'. He announced that Lok Bhavan will observe 'Petrol-Free Sundays' with no official vehicles using a single litre of imported fuel on Sundays. All Sunday official engagements will be conducted through video conferencing or consolidated travel arrangements.
The Governor has directed that the size of all his official convoys be reduced by half with immediate effect, a decisive and visible step that signals that the constitutional head of the state is prepared to lead by personal example even in matters of operational comfort. All non-essential official meetings will henceforth be conducted through video conferencing, eliminating unnecessary road travel. Official events and functions will be consolidated to further reduce vehicle movement, the release noted. (ANI)