Chandigarh/ Karnal / Rohtak, 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 staff will gravely affect public health and services essential for the life of the community. Thus, for ensuring patient care for the critically ill and others and to maintain uninterrupted delivery of essential medical services for the general public it is necessary in public interest to prohibit any strike by doctors and other categories of health staff to safeguard patient care and ensure continuity of essential medical services, the chief secretary's ordersaid. In a press conference during the day, the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA) action committee had said that all the doctors of HCMS cadre will go on strike for an indefinite period, till their demands are met. "Despite repeated appeals, no offer of talks/negotiations was initiated by the Haryana government. The action committee of HCMSA has decided to suspend all medical services for an indefinite period of time until our demands are met. We reiterate that strike has never been our priority and motive and we are always open for solutions through dialogues," the HCMSA said in a press statement. An official order regarding the pay cut was communicated by the director general health services (DGHS) to all the civil surgeons and chief medical officers (CMOs). In the order, the DG has asked the district officials not to issue the salary of the striking doctors during the two days of period until next orders. Reacting to it, HCMSA president Rajesh Khyalia said the government should instead ofissuing such orders the government should look into their demands. HCMSA, which has 3,000 members, has been demanding a halt in the direct recruitment of senior medical officers (SMOs) besides implementing the modified assured career progression (ACP) scheme. Association state treasurer Dr Deepak Goyal said that following their recent "pendown" strike, the government has already decided to stop the direct SMO recruitment. "However, in view of the pending demand, the association doctors observed a two-day shut-down of all health services. Due to the 'bureaucratic hurdle', the ACP scheme, which has been approved by the CM, has been pending with the finance department for the past one year," he added. On the other hand, health minister Arti Singh Rao, in a video statement, termed the strike "ineffective". "During the strike, we did not let any kind of health service to halt. Several doctors from medical colleges, NHM, consultants, retired specialists, Ayush practitioners, ESI and others helped us in this hour of need. We are thankful to them. I can say that there was no impact of this strike on the common man. I just wish that the doctors join back on their duties at the earliest," she said. Patients were hassled on the Day 2 of the strike. An employee at Karnal district civil hospital, not wishing to be named, said that regular patients were aware of the second day's strike, so they will come again on Wednesday and rest of the patients were attended by doctors deployed by the civil surgeon for the day. Meanwhile, in Hisar, a man who sustained leg injury was shifted to a private hospital due to unavailability of a doctor at civil hospital. Long queues of patients were seen at Rohtak civil hospital....