Matter must be investigated: MPHW Association
Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Aug 17: Multipurpose Health workers (MPHW) on Monday staged a protest outside Directorate Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) office in Bemina and demanded authorities to stop illegal departmental promotions till finalization of Amendment of Recruitment rules (SRO-20).
The protesting Multipurpose Health Workers told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the order of High Court vide SWP no 739/2016, CMP No 01/2016 and as per another direction of Double bench of High Court vide LPA NO 40/09 CMP No 74/09 dated 24/3/2009 has directed department to finalize the amendment of SRO20 and make promotions as per the recruitment rules.
“Despite court direction, the department continues to promote nursing orderlies, cooks, Chowkidars and class IV employees to block health workers. However, only multipurpose health workers have been left,” they said.
They added that the department has promoted some of them and given positions for what they are not eligible according to rules besides promoting them on basis of executive orders, which has been stayed by High court, said Bilqees Akhter, a Multipurpose health worker.
Furthermore, the similar attempt regarding DPC was also made by the directorate in 2018, however this illegal attempt was stopped by then Commissioner Secretary Health, she said.
President Multipurpose Health workers Association Showkat Ahmad said that those who were not eligible for promotions have been promoted several times and have been given the positions for what they were not eligible as per the rules.
Multipurpose Health Workers despite being qualified and appointed through SSRB in year 1989 and 1994 have been kept stagnant and are still waiting for promotions, he said, adding that the other categories who have been appointed illegally by politicians, officers on basis of favoritism and nepotism have been promoted thrice since then and there is need to investigate how they got appointed and now on what basis they are being promoted.
Draft recruitment rules were formulated and circulated to various concerned authorities for purposes of approval but despite passage of 25 years, draft recruitment rules are yet to be approved, he said.
Multipurpose Health Workers demanded that illegal promotions must be stopped and the matter must be investigated why other categories are being promoted despite stay from the High Court.
They demanded that the government must approve amendment of SRO-20 without wasting any further time or promote them as per proposed recruitment rules along with other categories.
They urged Lieutenant Governor and Commissioner Secretary Health to look into the matter at an earliest and approve the revised job policy and investigate illegal promotions—(KNO)
