NMO writes to LG, seeks post creation for Dental Surgeons

Protest continues on day-3

Irfan Tramboo

Srinagar, June 23: The Dental Surgeons who are currently on protest in Srinagar as well as in Jammu today secured the support of the National Medicos Organization (NMO) which has written to the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha to address the issues confronted by the protesting doctors across the Union Territory.
In a letter written to the LG, National Secretary, NMO Dr Prakash Kr. Pandey has demanded an urgent creation of posts for the Dental Surgeons across J&K so that the oral health which is currently in shambles across the UT is taken care of and the protesting Dental Surgeons are adjusted as per their qualifications.
“It is humbly submitted that the fact has come to the notice of the National Medicos Organisation through various channels that since 2008 no appointments have been made by the Public Service Commission for dentists in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” the letter reads.
It is to be noted here that the Dental Surgeons are currently on protest since Monday and are demanding immediate creation of posts—that have not been created for last more than 12 years due to which not only they as professionals are suffering, but there is an acute shortage of Dental Surgeons across the J&K’s meagre oral healthcare set-up.
Few of the protesting Dental Surgeons told Excelsior that they believed that some of them would be accommodated in the newly set up two DRDO hospitals in Srinagar, Jammu as Medical Officers, “but there also, we were side-lined despite being listed as eligible in the earlier Government order that was issued,” they said.
Pertinent to mention here that there is already a file lying pending with the Government for the last couple of years for the creation of the posts for the Dental Surgeons, however, time and again the file has been returned to the DHSK for various reasons leading to further delay. The proposal in this regard was submitted by the DHSK.