Chennai: Toughening its stand on striking employees, Tamil Nadu government on July 2 invoked ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) against secretariat staff who abstained from duty and suspended them from service, as the employees launched their indefinite stir on July 2, demanding restoration of curtailed benefits including a rollback in cut in pension.

Organisers of the strike claimed total success even as the government warned other employees that ESMA would be invoked against them if they failed to report for duty from July 3.

Government also decided to recruit temporary staff to fill up the vacant posts, arising out of the suspensions and issued an order in this regard. The recruits, taken from employment exchanges would report for duty from July 4, an official press release said.

Seriously noting the "irresponsible behaviour" of the secretariat staff, who abstained from work from July 1 afternoon, it said government would not adopt a "soft approach" like in the past. "Government will adopt a very strict approach this time," the release said.

Work in government offices was paralysed as only 12 per cent staff reported for duty.

Over 300 persons were arrested in various parts of the state for obstructing employees from attending offices, police said.

Meanwhile, a division bench of Madras High court on July 2 adjourned to July 8 the hearing on a batch of petitions by various employees associations, challenging the government order on curtailing pensionary and other benefits.

PTI