Law Dept asked to suggest shorter way to sack 161 doctors

Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ambala, June 21

Health Minister Anil Vij said today that the Law Department had been asked to suggest a shorter procedure to sack 161 erring doctors and appoint new ones.

The Health Minister was responding to a query after holding a ‘janta darbar’ in Ambala Cantonment.

Vij said: “As many as 161 doctors have been absent from duty for a long period. The procedure to sack them is very long. Hence, we have asked the Law Department to suggest a shorter way to sack these doctors and appoint new ones.”

The Health Department is facing shortage of doctors and 161 doctors, who have been absent without permission, were earlier warned to join their duties or resign.

Earlier, students of Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati Medical College, Mewat, reached the ‘janta darbar’ and raised the issue of shortage of doctors and teachers in the medical college.

The students said: “Shortage of doctors has not only affected operations at the medical college, but also our studies. The gynaecology department is on the verge of closure as two out of three doctors have already resigned and it is difficult for the remaining doctor to manage everything. Following this, the head of the department has decided to resign. There is not a single senior resident doctor in the medical college.”

The Health Minister said: “There is a shortage of doctors, but orders have been issued to depute three gynaecologists in the medical college.” He asked the students to persuade their HOD not to resign.

Vij heard 195 complaints during the ‘janta darbar’. He asked officials of the Municipal Corporation to serve notices on the owners of vacant plots, asking them to construct a boundary wall and not let the water to stagnate.