8 more absent doctors to face action from government

Srinagar, October 11: Axe is likely to fall on eight more absent doctors, who have not responded to the notices from the state government’s Health and Medical Education department.

Of the total 85 absent such doctors, the government, last month, terminated services of 65 who were on roll of Health and Medical Education Department and didn’t attended their duties.

As per the documents accessed by The Kashmir Monitor, the concerned department on September 17, sent a final notice to these eight doctors, asking them to join their departments within 15 days.

Official sources in the department said that none of these doctors have responded to the notice even after the culmination of the deadline.

“In case these doctors fail to respond, it shall be presumed that they have nothing to say in their defence and action as warranted under rule 21(1) of the J&K Civil Service rules, 1956 and Article 128 of SCR Vol-1 shall be initiated without further notices,” the notice read.

Sources said the rest of the 12 doctors have approached to the High Court, whose cases are being examined by the department.

“The department will also announce any decision in their regard, sooner. Many among them have expressed their will to re-join their services,” they said.

This year so far the government terminated 33 doctors from Kashmir’s health directorate and 32 of Jammu directorate.

Last year, around 150 doctors were terminated who failed to re-join their services while services of 100 such doctors also ended in 2016 for the same reasons.

The state government earlier this month accorded sanction to the re-constitution of a Departmental Committee to examine the cases of doc­tors or any officer/official of subordinate office related to the un-authorized absence/ over-stay on deputation/study leave cases or any other.

Amid the brain drain of medicos, the state has more than 2000 posts of doctor lying vacant in the health department.

“The department is going through severe manpower crisis. These doctors practice in Gulf or European countries after completing their studies at the government expense in the state,” an official from Directorate of Health Services Kashmir said.