*Directs Govt to indicate steps taken to fill vacancies
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 21: A Division Bench of High Court of J&K and Ladakh comprising Chief Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice M A Chowdhary has expressed serious concern over the shortage of Medical Officers and paramedical staff in Jammu Province and has issued directions to the Government particularly Secretary Health and Medical Education Department to indicate the steps taken to fill up the large number of vacancies across Jammu and Kashmir.
“The information be placed on record by way of an affidavit which shall also indicate the steps taken in respect of far flung areas of districts of Reasi, Poonch, Ramban, Kupwara, Baramulla etc where the vacancies appear to be quite significant”, the DB further directed.
These significant directions were issued in a Public Interest Litigation filed by RTI activist Balwinder Singh highlighting acute shortage of Medical Officers and paramedical staff in various health Institutions of J&K particularly in remote areas of Jammu province. The PIL is based on RTI information wherein it has been disclosed that in several districts of Jammu province, there is sixty to seventy percent short fall of Doctors and paramedical staff.
When the PIL came up for hearing, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocates Rahul Raina, Supriya Chouhan and Mohd Zulkarnain Chowdhary drew the attention of the Division Bench towards the latest status report filed by the Health and Medical Education Department wherein the comparative statement of the availability of Doctors and paramedical staff in Jammu and Kashmir provinces was indicated.
Advocate Ahmed further submitted that as per the information disclosed in the status report, there is sanctioned strength of 319 Medical Officers in Jammu district and 254 are in position and 65 vacancies are lying vacant. In Doda district sanctioned strength of Medical Officers is 125, 43 are in position and 82 slots are vacant.
In Kishtwar the sanctioned strength is 82, 33 are in position and there is short fall of 49. In Poonch sanctioned strength is 140, 56 are in position and there is short fall of 84. In Kathua, sanctioned strength is 164, 65 are in position and 99 slots are lying vacant. In Rajouri district, sanctioned strength is 148 , 66 in position and 82 is the short fall.
In Samba district, sanctioned strength is 69, 47 in position and 22 is the short fall. In Reasi district sanctioned strength is 98, 43 in position and 55 is the short fall. In Udhampur sanctioned strength is 149, in position 63 and 86 is the short fall.
Advocate Ahmed vociferously argued that position is much better in Kashmir Province whereas the Government of J&K seems to be non serious towards health care for Jammu Province. He referred to the comparative statement and impressed upon the Division Bench to issue appropriate directions to the Government to show some seriousness towards the shortage of Doctors and paramedical staff in Jammu province.
The Division Bench, after going through the comparative statement filed by the Govt observed, “perusal of the status report filed by the Deputy Secretary to Government, Health and Medical Education Department dated 29th May 2023 would indicate the comparative staff strength in the posts of Medical Officers and non gazetted and Class-IV employees in Jammu division as well in Kashmir division”, adding “in respect of the Jammu Division the total sanctioned strength of Medical Officers for all districts is 1390 posts of which 726 posts are in position and remaining 664 posts are lying vacant”.
“Similarly, in respect of non gazetted and Class-IV employees in Jammu division out of sanctioned strength 6868, only 4379 are filled up with the remaining 2489 vacant”, the DB further said, adding “in respect of Kashmir division total sanctioned strength of Medical Officers is 1467, out of which 1395 are in position and only 72 are lying vacant. Similarly, in case of non-gazetted and Class-IV Employees in Kashmir Division, out of sanctioned strength of 8628 posts, 5976 are in position and 2651 are lying vacant. Thus, it indicates a skewed figure in respect of Jammu division vis-a-viz Kashmir division”.
The Division Bench expressed serious concern over the massive short fall of Doctors /paramedical staff in Jammu province and directed the Health and Medical Education Department to indicate the steps taken to fill up the large number of vacancies. The Division Bench also directed Deputy Solicitor General of India Vishal Sharma appearing for UT of Ladakh to furnish necessary information with regard to health care position in respect of UT of Ladakh without fail on the next date.
At this stage, Advocate S S Ahmed submitted that in several far flung / hilly areas of districts of Reasi, Poonch, Ramban, Kupwara and Baramulla, the Health Institutions lack Medical Officers / paramedical staff and the public has been left to the mercy of God and in several Primary Health Centres / Dispensaries there is 100% short fall of vacancies and the Govt of J&K has miserably failed to provide health care to the pural population.
The Division Bench took note of the submissions made by Advocate S S Ahmed and directed that the affidavit to be filed by the Govt of J&K shall also indicate the steps taken in respect of far flung areas of districts of Reasi, Poonch, Ramban, Kupwara and Baramulla.
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