Medical board under scanner

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 1

Government employees are allegedly procuring fake medical certificates from the state medical board to evade transfer to remote areas. Since the board comes under the Department of Health and Family Welfare, it has put a question mark on the board’s functioning.

The matter came to light when a medical certificate allegedly issued by the board to an official working in the Department of Education was found to be fudged. As the government is involved in carrying out transfer of government employees, who have completed their tenure in hard areas (remote areas) to accessible areas, there have been efforts to evade the new transfer orders. As on medical grounds, persons afflicted with serious diseases are exempted from transfers in the hill areas, even government employees who are in the pink of health are making a beeline to procure medical certificates.

On June 18, a meeting of the State Medical Board was held at the Chief Medical Office (CMO-Dehradun) during which the list containing names of people who would be issued medical certificates was also discussed. However, the list did not contain the name of the education office, who allegedly went on to procure the certificate on a back date on June 19.

The issue later took a serious turn after the steno deputed at the CMO office dragged the name of private secretary of Minister of Health Surinder Singh Negi in this matter. Forcing Surinder Singh Negi to intervene in the matter, “I am personally looking into the matter, we will not hesitate to dissolve the board and take action against those issuing fake certificates,” said Negi.

Further, the government is also mulling strict action and proper examination of medical certificates submitted by teachers and other government employees who are found evading transfers to the hilly areas. “We are receiving a large number of complaints about government employees resorting to excuses and concocting diseases such as arthritis, family illness and back problem to evade hill transfers. This will not be tolerated by the government,” said Mantri Prasad Naithani, Education Minister.

Evading transfers

On medical grounds, persons afflicted with serious diseases are exempted from transfers to the hill areas. Even government employees, who are in the pink of health, are making a beeline to procure medical certificates.