Chandigarh: The Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), health department Haryana has asked the director general health services (DGHS) Haryana to appoint the retired doctors as consultants in clinical duties only in strict compliance of the state’s policy.
The ACS has issued the direction dated May 16 to the DGHS in view of some complaints received by the government wherein the DGHS office has posted some retired doctors on administrative posts or those posts which are meant to be occupied by serving doctors of Haryana Civil Medical Service cadre officers only.
“It is intimated that Dr Parveen Sethi was appointed as senior consultant for clinical work as per re-employment policy. Therefore, you are directed to ensure that Dr Parveen Sethi be assigned clinical work only,” the ACS has asked the DGHS to while referring to the case of one of such retired doctors who has been given a post contrary to the state’s policy.
The ACS has issued these directions while taking cognizance of a complaint informing that “corrupt practices going on in health department Haryana” with the involvement of Dr Parveen Sethi, senior consultant (retired as director, dental, Haryana) in connivance with DGHS, R S Punia. The ACS has also referred a complaint to the DGHS to enquire the matter and action taken report be sent to the government so that the health minister could be apprised accordingly.
Arjun Meghwal, a resident of Ellenabad in Sirsa, had filed a complaint on the issue.
Dr R S Punia, DGHS, could not be contacted for comments despite several calls made to his mobile phone for comment on the issue.
Dr Rajesh Khyalia, state president of Haryana Civil Medical Services (HCMS), however, said it has been noticed at several places wherein the retired doctors have been given important administrative assignments that were to be carried by the regular serving doctors. “Such special favour to the retired doctors, who are supposed to conduct clinical duties only, amounts to corrupt practices and need to be curbed by the state authorities as per the state’s own policy,” Dr Khayalia added.
Importantly, the Haryana policy clearly stipulates that the doctors on superannuation on completion of 58 years, shall be re-employed for clinical duties only and shall not be given any administrative post.
