Violation of rules will not be accepted at any cost, says Pr Sec H&ME J&K Manoj Kumar Dwivedi
The Principal Secretary to Government Health and Medical Education Department has ordered the Heads of the Departments not to make transfers and posting of Gazetted Officers but documents suggest that Directorate of Ayush, J&K is all along for many years and is trying hard to post blue eyed officers at several vacant administrative posts throwing the seniority list to winds ignoring the Government instructions e,g The circular (No. 02 JK(HME) of 2022 dated 17-05-2022) was issued after senior doctors from Health Department alleged that the Directors are flouting rules and transferring and posting Gazetted Officers illegally on their own.
“It was observed that Heads of the Departments have been effectuating the transfers of Gazetted Officers at their own level without approval of the Administrative Department which is contrary to the laid down rules on the subject,” read the circular. The Director Ayush J&K continued posting several blue-eyed junior officers as medical superintendents Unani hospital District Ayush Officers and Deputy Directors against the seniority list issued by the Govt. (Order no. 323 JK(HME) of 2021 dated 27-04-2021).
For example, S. No: 14 Dr Farooq Iqbal and S. No: 17 Dr Riyaz Khan, S. No: 26 Dr Ishrat Ahmad has been promoted as District Ayush Officer Kupwara, Bandipora and Shopian respectively ignoring all senior doctors existing in the seniority list causing huge resentment among ISM cadre. Dr Farooq Ahmad Naqash Bandhi has been posted as superintendent Unani hospital over and above hundreds of seniors Other blue-eyed doctors figuring at S. No: 36 Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Payer and S. No: 95 Dr Abdul Rehman Rather have been posted as District Officer Ganderbal and District Officer Kulgam ignoring 94 senior doctors in the department. Dr Shabir has been posted in Unani medical college ignoring deserving doctors. These district officers are junior doctors , drawing NPA in violation of standing instructions of finance department.
The Director Ayush has posted many junior doctors in J&K at higher posts by passing the seniority list, when as per the laid down norms he is not eligible to make transfer and postings of Gazetted Officers. Medical officers are working as clerks at District Aayush offices as partners in breading corruption.
Besides this, despite the availability of senior doctors in the field having vast experience, charges of vacant posts are being given to some blue-eyed doctors instead of filling them.
Astonishingly, Plain BUMS doctors are posted in Unani Hospital Shalteng Srinagar when scores of Post –Graduate Unani doctors are gathering dust in dispensaries, who have resented against this indiscrimination. Specialization is marred by favouritism and nepotism in Ayush sector.
Also Government claims to have taken the basic health care facilities at the doorstep of the people in the state, are proving false as Directorate of Ayush J&K has posted majority of ISM doctors in the urban areas of the State, mostly in Srinagar and Jammu cities. Around 130 Indian System of Medicine (ISM) institutions including hospitals and dispensaries are defunct in rural and far-flung areas of the State for want of doctors and para-medical staff and the patient care is badly suffering.
There are hundreds of AYUSH institutions in the state but defunct at ground level due to the attachment of employees in cities, District Headquarters. For instance, there are 80 doctors in Srinagar only for 26 ISM Institutions. Many ISM dispensaries in villages are closed due to attachment of staff.
Medical Officers are transferred by Director Ayush at his own level without any approval from H&ME Department. Directorate of Ayush has gone beyond its brief by posting blue eyed doctors as District Officers, Deputy Directors and on other administrative positions without approval from competent authorities. There is hue and cry in Aayush department on the posting of blue-eyed persons who have nothing to do with administration. Department of Ayush needs overhauling and streamlining in the interest of patient care in the state. Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, who is known for his honesty said that no such practice will be allowed at any cost. “Our head, Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble LG JT UT working 24×7 for the betterment of masses. We are glad, that we have opportunity to work under his command, no malpractice will be allowed in any department”, he said.
