Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Aug 16: The Health and Medical Education Department has sought explanation from the Director Indian System of Medicines (ISM) as why promotions in the past have been made in the Department without seeking administrative approval and in gross violations of seniority list by adopting “pick and choose” policy.
The explanation has been sought after Director ISM, Neeraj Kumar, sought (Vide letter No: DISM/Estt./1362 dated 22-06-2018) administrative approval for the filling up of the posts of Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors, ADMOs and AC stores in the ISM on the basis of seniority.
In a letter (No. HD/ISM/81/2018 dated13-08-2018), written by Under Secretary Health and Medical Education Department to the Director ISM, explanation has been sought as to why while considering any Medical Officer (Ayurvedic/Unani) for the next higher posts like ADMO (Ayurvedic/Unani), Controller Stores, Deputy Director, administrative approval was not sought in the past.
“While considering any Medical Officer (Ayurvedic/Unani) for the next higher posts like ADMO (Ayurvedic/Unani), Controller Stores, Deputy Director, a proposal is submitted to the Administrative Department for seeking its prior approval and thereafter, the orders issued. However, the same does not seem to have been done in this case. The orders have been issued by the then Director, ISM at his own level”, read the letter.
The Health Department has said that the former Director has not followed the seniority list while making promotions and has done it on pick and choose basis. “The seniority list had to be taken into consideration while considering the case for promotions of higher posts like ADMOs, Controller Stores, Deputy Director. This has not been followed in the instant case but instead ‘pick & choose’ policy has been opted”, the letter read.
The Department has asked the Director for status on the court cases on which promotions have been made in the past. “Certain Medical Officers have been adjusted on the directions of Court Orders. No clear details regarding the present status for the court case(s) have been provided in the proposal”, the letter read.
The Health Department has said that multiple posts were assigned to some doctors in the ISM and promotions have been made by the former ISM Director which were beyond his competence. “Further, there is no clarity about the details of actual posts being held by the Doctors in the proposal, particularly in the Kashmir Division. One post has been assigned to multiple doctors. For example, one Dr. Syed Ashiq Hussian, ADMO, Unani, Srinagar has been given the charge of Dy. Director ISM, Kashmir also. While as, Dr. Rukhsana Jabeen, who has been given the charge of Assistant Controller Stores, Kashmir has also been given the charge of ADMO, Srinagar. Similarly, Dr. Anil Kant Gupta, ADMO Jammu has been given the additional charge of Deputy Director Jammu and Dr. Saroj Sharma has been given the charge of ADMO Jammu. It is not understood who has been given the charge of which post. The then Director ISM at his own level has issued the orders for Deputy Directors, Assistant Controller Stores and ADMOs, which were beyond his competence and required the prior approval of the Administrative Department”, the letter read.
The Department has said that it is beyond comprehension how an Ayurvedic post has been given to a Unanai doctor. “Dr Syed Haider Shah, Medical Officer Unani Kashmir has been assigned the post of ADMO (Ayurvedic), Rajouri on the then Director ISM. How an Ayurvedic post has been given to a Unanai doctor is beyond comprehension”, the letter said.
Besides this the former Director has fraudulently promoted (Order no. DISM/Est/2017/5063-82 dated 26-09-2017) Dr Kuldeep Kumar Koul Medical Officer District Kathua under the cover of transfer and postings to the post of Assistant Director Headquarter.
A senior officer in the Department said that the posts of Directors, Assistant Directors, Assistant Controllers Stores at Jammu and Srinagar, ADMO of Jammu Division, Srinagar, Pulwama, were fraudulently filled in gross violations of seniority list and SRO 379 of 2006 in the past.
“The entry level officers, facing investigations for serious charges and even recommended for RDA by Vigilance Organization (VO), have fraudulently been elevated to higher posts by former Director. All these officers elevated to higher posts in a clandestine manner are drawing NPA @25% of basic pay which they aren’t entitled to, as such putting state exchequer to the losses worth lakhs of rupees a year”, the officer said.
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