Allopathy doctor to head Patiala ayurvedic college

Ravneet Singh

Patiala, June 26

The Department of Health has failed to find one person from the ayurveda branch of medicine fit enough to head the only Government Ayurvedic College in Patiala. Therefore, after the removal of the former principal, who is an ayurveda expert, it has appointed a doctor of the allopathy branch of medicine on the post.

Injustice with the field

They have removed an ayurveda expert as college head and deputed a doctor of allopathy as the principal. The two fields are entirely different and this is injustice with the field as he will not be able to understand its nitty-gritties. An employee

According to employees at the state college, the government has had an indifferent attitude toward the college for years. “The successive governments have failed to provide enough faculty members and other staff for the college for years. Therefore, it was denied permission to admit students for three consecutive years from 2011 to 2013. This year also, it was issued conditional permission to admit students on assurance that it would hire the requisite staff and clear other anomalies. But the state has failed to do that as well,” a faculty member of the college said.

An employee said, “They have removed an ayurveda expert as college head and deputed a doctor of allopathy as the principal. The two fields are different and this is injustice with the field as he will not be able to understand its nitty-gritties.”

College students and the pharmacy staff have also asked the government not to shift the college under Guru Ravidas Ayurved University, Hoshiarpur. They pointed out that the university was understaffed and would not be able to provide funds. Doctors at the college said the college functioned under the director of ayurved and provided medicines throughout the state. “With the move, it will not be able to carry out the same practice after it is shifted,” a faculty member said.

Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh said the state found no ayurveda expert fit for the job. “The appointment of an allopathy doctor is a stop-gap arrangement.”

He added that the college and the pharmacy had been on the verge of collapse. “We will revive these. The shifting will make decision-making easy.” He added under the university, the students’ fee would not be increased, while the pharmacy be able to provide medicines throughout the state.