India, Dec. 10 -- With the government doctors announcing indefinite extension of their strike on Tuesday, the state government has invoked the Haryana Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and has also ordered deduction of salaries of the doctors for the days they remain off duty due to the protest.

Earlier, the government doctors in Haryana had announced a two-day strike which was slated to end on December 9.

The order, invoking ESMA, issued by chief secretary Anurag Rastogi, read that any strike by doctors and any other categories of staff working under the Haryana health department is prohibited for six months from December 9.

The order further said that the government is satisfied that any strike by doctors or health department...