Close on the heels of Chief Minister Harish Rawat asking for strictness in dealing with absenteeism and dereliction of duty on the part of Government officials, Udham Singh Nagar district administration has suspended a pharmacist and issued order to withhold February’s salary for the Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of Jawaharlal Nehru District Hospital in Rudurapur on Monday.
Udham Singh Nagar District Magistrate Pankaj Kumar Pandey took action against the officials during his surprise visit of the Jawaharlal Nehru district hospital, Rudurapur on Monday morning. Pandey reached the facility a bit earlier than the routine duty hours. Many health officials, including the CMS, were caught unaware by Pandey’s visit. He first issued suspension order against pharmacist JS Rautela on the charge of not following the procedures while attending a patient.
Untidy and unhygienic conditions in and around the said district hospital premises were one of the major reasons inviting ire and disappointment from the District Magistrate. Treatment sans cleanliness means nothing for the patients, the DM said while venting ager over the unclean state of things in and around the state-run facility.
The Udham Singh Nagar district administration also recovered slips issued by some private pathology firms from the hospital premises during the raids. More so, fees being allegedly charged for blood testing also came to light during the enforcement drive. Taking serious note of a number of irregularities that came to light during the raids, Pandey issued order to withhold February salary for CMS Dr Harish lal.
At the same time, he also asked the health officials concerned to be sensitive to provide proper health services to the patients. The Udham Singh Nagar district administration has also asked the officials concerned of the district health department to take required preparations to take on the swine flu menace.
It may be recalled that acting on the direction of the Chief Minister, the Udham Singh Nagar district administration had taken actions against three errant officials by withholding one day salary as they were found absent during Chief Minister’s inspection at the Rudrapur collectorate campus in Udham Singh Nagar on February 11. More so, the mining sector has also launched similar enforcement drives, of late, taking action against the erring officials and against those who are found indulging in illegal mining activities.