The Indian Express: Chandigarh: Thursday, 01 September
2022.
Information obtained under the RTI Act reveals that there are many doctors who came on deputation long back, got promoted here and will be retiring from City Beautiful only.
There are doctors who came on deputation to Chandigarh and will be retiring from the City Beautiful itself, reveal details provided by the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital sector 16 under the Right to Information Act.
An application under the RTI Act was filed by Chandigarh resident R K Garg, seeking a list of employees of various departments of UT Secretariat who have been working in one department, irrespective of the designation, for more than three years, with date of posting/transfer in their present posting.
Some senior medical officers came to the city from other states as medical officers long back. They got promoted as SMOs but never returned to their parent states.
According to the documents, out of six senior medical officers who are under GMSH, five came as medical officers around 20 years ago. Dr Monika Dhir, an MBBS doctor, who has been posted in the dispensary of the High Court, came from Haryana as a medical officer on August 1, 2004. She became SMO here while on deputation on March 26, 2019, and continues to stick to the city. She will be retiring on April 30, 2024.
Similarly, Dr Rana Singh, who is posted with the eye department of the GMSH, came as medical officer in November 2008, became SMO in September 2020 and will be retiring on September 30 this year, with almost 14 years being here on deputation. The same is the case with Dr Sanjeev Sharma, who came on deputation from Haryana as medical officer in April 2007, became SMO here itself in 2018 while on deputation and will be retiring in March 2025.
Another doctor, Dr Neeraj Dhawan, came in June 2004 as medical officer, became SMO in January last year and will be retiring in January 2026. Dr Kulbir Singh, another senior medical officer, also came on deputation in 2009 and it has been 13 years since he has been here. He will be retiring in April 2027.
Dr Sabhyata Sharma too joined as medical officer in June 2006, got promoted to SMO in January 2021 and has her retirement in July 2030.
They came as medical officers on deputation to UT, got promoted here itself and will retire while being on deputation. There are seven senior medical officers from Punjab in this category.
Documents reveal that Dr Anita Mohindroo and Dr Ruby joined as medical officers in 2004 on deputation, became SMOs in 2019 and 2021 respectively, and have their retirement close now. While Dr Mohindroo is all set to retire in November this year, Dr Ruby will be retiring in November 2026.
Another doctor, Dr Kanwaljeet Singh, who came on deputation as medical officer in November 2012, became SMO in 2018 and will be retiring in March 2023. He is posted with the civil hospital, Manimajra, under the GMSH.
Similarly, Dr Simi Malhotra and Dr Navneet Kanwar, both MD gynae, joined on deputation in 2011 and 2012 respectively as medical officers, became SMOs here in 2021 and will be retiring in 2026 and 2028 respectively. They have been here for over 11 years now.
MEDICAL OFFICERS ON DEPUTATION FROM HARYANA AND PUNJAB
Then there are 30 medical officers from Punjab and 17 medical officers of Haryana (30 more from Haryana to join soon) who have been here on deputation, some as long as even for 19 years at a stretch. Many are due for their retirement in the coming years.
Dr Vineet Kaur joined from Punjab on deputation in 2003 and has been here for 19 years. Dr Kaur is posted in the Sector 16 hospital anesthesia department and will be retiring in 2031.
Dr Harleen Rohewal, an MBBS, came as medical officer in October 2003. Since then she has been moving across health centres in Chandigarh itself. She was there in the CHC, Sector 22, in 2010, then went to ESI, Sector 29, in 2013 and then Civil Hospital, Sector 22, in 2015.
Dr Ramita Dhillon, who joined as medical officer in 2003, Dr Sarabjit Singh, who joined as medical officer in 2004, Dr Gurminder Singh Bedi, who came as MO in 2008, and all others who joined in 2011 and 2012 have been here on deputation since then.
Similarly, in the state of Haryana, Dr Jaya Jaitly who joined as medical officer in 2006, Dr Harleen Tiwana, who joined as MO in 2007, Dr Vijay Kumar, who joined UT in 2008, and many other medical officers who came on deputation in 2008 to 2013 have been all sitting here in Chandigarh. Most of them have their retirement due in next four to seven years.
There are five medical officers from the state of Himachal Pradesh in Chandigarh, with one of them sitting here for as long as 14 years.
Dr Madhu Sabharwal from Haryana, who has done diploma in TB and chest, has been on deputation in the casualty department of GMSH since 2014 and then medicine department.
MANY DENTAL SURGEONS ALSO ON DEPUTATION
As many as nine dental surgeons have been on deputation in Chandigarh, some for as long as 24 years.
Dr Rachna, BDS, who joined on deputation in September 1998, and Dr Kanwarjeet Singh, BDS, from Punjab on deputation in September 1999, have been here for 24 years and 23 years respectively. Both will be retiring in 2025 and 2024 respectively.
Another BDS, Dr Navdeep Kaur, has been on deputation since 2002 and two BDS doctors from Haryana have been on deputation since 2008.
OTHER STAFF
There are about 118 officials, including food safety officers, senior assistants, junior assistants, pharmacists who have been working for more than three years on the same position here. Then there are 24 senior nursing officers and 52 nursing officers, some sitting here since 1997 and 2001.
HEALTH SECY WHO DARED TO MOVE THEM FACED HEAT
UT Health Secretary Yashpal Garg had once attempted to move out these doctors sitting on deputation for decades in Chandigarh. However, he had to succumb to the political pressure and take a U-turn on his own orders.
In February this year, succumbing to political pressure, the Chandigarh Administration had held its orders of repatriation of doctors on deputation in a phased manner. The administration had extended their tenure for another one year.
It was the first-ever such crackdown by the UT Health Secretary.
The doctors in question had approached BJP leaders, including Sanjay Tandon, who had met UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit. Following this, Purohit had ordered their extension.
Over 112 doctors who have been on deputation in Chandigarh, from Punjab and Haryana, had earlier this year sought another extension from the Chandigarh Administration. The doctors were already overstaying in Chandigarh.
Information obtained under the RTI Act reveals that there are many doctors who came on deputation long back, got promoted here and will be retiring from City Beautiful only.
There are doctors who came on deputation to Chandigarh and will be retiring from the City Beautiful itself, reveal details provided by the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital sector 16 under the Right to Information Act.
An application under the RTI Act was filed by Chandigarh resident R K Garg, seeking a list of employees of various departments of UT Secretariat who have been working in one department, irrespective of the designation, for more than three years, with date of posting/transfer in their present posting.
Some senior medical officers came to the city from other states as medical officers long back. They got promoted as SMOs but never returned to their parent states.
According to the documents, out of six senior medical officers who are under GMSH, five came as medical officers around 20 years ago. Dr Monika Dhir, an MBBS doctor, who has been posted in the dispensary of the High Court, came from Haryana as a medical officer on August 1, 2004. She became SMO here while on deputation on March 26, 2019, and continues to stick to the city. She will be retiring on April 30, 2024.
Similarly, Dr Rana Singh, who is posted with the eye department of the GMSH, came as medical officer in November 2008, became SMO in September 2020 and will be retiring on September 30 this year, with almost 14 years being here on deputation. The same is the case with Dr Sanjeev Sharma, who came on deputation from Haryana as medical officer in April 2007, became SMO here itself in 2018 while on deputation and will be retiring in March 2025.
Another doctor, Dr Neeraj Dhawan, came in June 2004 as medical officer, became SMO in January last year and will be retiring in January 2026. Dr Kulbir Singh, another senior medical officer, also came on deputation in 2009 and it has been 13 years since he has been here. He will be retiring in April 2027.
Dr Sabhyata Sharma too joined as medical officer in June 2006, got promoted to SMO in January 2021 and has her retirement in July 2030.
They came as medical officers on deputation to UT, got promoted here itself and will retire while being on deputation. There are seven senior medical officers from Punjab in this category.
Documents reveal that Dr Anita Mohindroo and Dr Ruby joined as medical officers in 2004 on deputation, became SMOs in 2019 and 2021 respectively, and have their retirement close now. While Dr Mohindroo is all set to retire in November this year, Dr Ruby will be retiring in November 2026.
Another doctor, Dr Kanwaljeet Singh, who came on deputation as medical officer in November 2012, became SMO in 2018 and will be retiring in March 2023. He is posted with the civil hospital, Manimajra, under the GMSH.
Similarly, Dr Simi Malhotra and Dr Navneet Kanwar, both MD gynae, joined on deputation in 2011 and 2012 respectively as medical officers, became SMOs here in 2021 and will be retiring in 2026 and 2028 respectively. They have been here for over 11 years now.
MEDICAL OFFICERS ON DEPUTATION FROM HARYANA AND PUNJAB
Then there are 30 medical officers from Punjab and 17 medical officers of Haryana (30 more from Haryana to join soon) who have been here on deputation, some as long as even for 19 years at a stretch. Many are due for their retirement in the coming years.
Dr Vineet Kaur joined from Punjab on deputation in 2003 and has been here for 19 years. Dr Kaur is posted in the Sector 16 hospital anesthesia department and will be retiring in 2031.
Dr Harleen Rohewal, an MBBS, came as medical officer in October 2003. Since then she has been moving across health centres in Chandigarh itself. She was there in the CHC, Sector 22, in 2010, then went to ESI, Sector 29, in 2013 and then Civil Hospital, Sector 22, in 2015.
Dr Ramita Dhillon, who joined as medical officer in 2003, Dr Sarabjit Singh, who joined as medical officer in 2004, Dr Gurminder Singh Bedi, who came as MO in 2008, and all others who joined in 2011 and 2012 have been here on deputation since then.
Similarly, in the state of Haryana, Dr Jaya Jaitly who joined as medical officer in 2006, Dr Harleen Tiwana, who joined as MO in 2007, Dr Vijay Kumar, who joined UT in 2008, and many other medical officers who came on deputation in 2008 to 2013 have been all sitting here in Chandigarh. Most of them have their retirement due in next four to seven years.
There are five medical officers from the state of Himachal Pradesh in Chandigarh, with one of them sitting here for as long as 14 years.
Dr Madhu Sabharwal from Haryana, who has done diploma in TB and chest, has been on deputation in the casualty department of GMSH since 2014 and then medicine department.
MANY DENTAL SURGEONS ALSO ON DEPUTATION
As many as nine dental surgeons have been on deputation in Chandigarh, some for as long as 24 years.
Dr Rachna, BDS, who joined on deputation in September 1998, and Dr Kanwarjeet Singh, BDS, from Punjab on deputation in September 1999, have been here for 24 years and 23 years respectively. Both will be retiring in 2025 and 2024 respectively.
Another BDS, Dr Navdeep Kaur, has been on deputation since 2002 and two BDS doctors from Haryana have been on deputation since 2008.
OTHER STAFF
There are about 118 officials, including food safety officers, senior assistants, junior assistants, pharmacists who have been working for more than three years on the same position here. Then there are 24 senior nursing officers and 52 nursing officers, some sitting here since 1997 and 2001.
HEALTH SECY WHO DARED TO MOVE THEM FACED HEAT
UT Health Secretary Yashpal Garg had once attempted to move out these doctors sitting on deputation for decades in Chandigarh. However, he had to succumb to the political pressure and take a U-turn on his own orders.
In February this year, succumbing to political pressure, the Chandigarh Administration had held its orders of repatriation of doctors on deputation in a phased manner. The administration had extended their tenure for another one year.
It was the first-ever such crackdown by the UT Health Secretary.
The doctors in question had approached BJP leaders, including Sanjay Tandon, who had met UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit. Following this, Purohit had ordered their extension.
Over 112 doctors who have been on deputation in Chandigarh, from Punjab and Haryana, had earlier this year sought another extension from the Chandigarh Administration. The doctors were already overstaying in Chandigarh.
.JPG)
.JPG)
