DHS (MI) seeks action against IIPH, principal secretary in-charge health

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 31, 2022

The Director of Health Services (MI) Dr Aman War has sought action against the Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH) for alleged trespassing into the property of the DHS (MI) at Pasteur Hills, Lawmali and the Principal Secretary of Health Sampath Kumar for violating the principle of natural justice.

Dr War on Monday submitted a detailed reply to the show cause notice issued by the Commissioner  & Secretary in-charge of Health and Family Welfare with regards to the incident on May 27.

The DHS has urged the Commissioner & Secretary of Health and Family Welfare to recall the show cause notice and take necessary action against the IIPH, Shillong.

“Therefore, in consideration of the facts and circumstances, the undersigned requests your good office to recall/withdraw the said show cause notice dated May 27, 2022 and further take necessary action to penalize the concerned person(s) of IIPH, Shillong who have not only forcefully occupied the said room(s) which are allocated to the MACS, Shillong, but also for the unruly and unacceptable behavior towards the Project Director and other lady doctor of the MACS, Shillong,” Dr War said.

The DHS said that the building at Pasteur Hills, Lawmali, which is under the custody and possession of the Directorate, was never handed over to IIPH, Shillong and the same is being occupied by the various wings and offices under the Department itself.

He alleged that the IIPH, Shillong, has trespassed into the property of the Directorate of Health Services (MI), and as such, an FIR should be lodged against the said trespassers as per the law.

Further, Dr War also requested the department to take necessary action against the Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Sampath Kumar.

“Whereas, the Principal Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, Health and Family Welfare Department, Shillong has come to a conclusion with regards to the said incident without affording any opportunity to the undersigned to put forth his version of the said incident, and quite apparently, the said authority has also gone to the media outlets in this regard without verifying the same with the undersigned, which is a clear indication that the said actions were done due to sheer spite and vengeance against the undersigned, for the best reasons known to the said authority, moreover the said authority has violated the principal of natural justice,” he said.

He said that show cause notice dated May 27, 2022 has been issued to him in the most arbitrary, malicious, unscrupulous and unreasonable manner, which has not only tarnished his image despite having rendered decades of impeccable service to the state government, but the same has also caused severe stigma towards him, as he is due to retire in a month’s time, and also to his family, without any fault on his part whatsoever.

“For the same the Department may kindly take necessary action against the concerned authority for going to the media and giving his view without affording the undersigned an opportunity for being heard,” Dr War said adding “The said action of the Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare, Government of Meghalaya, Shillong appears to be motivated for the reason best known to him.”

Recalling the incident on May 27, the DHS informed that he had received a letter/complaint from the Project Director, MACS, Shillong whereby it was informed that the said storage room which was allocated to the MACS was broken into and trespassed upon by some unknown person(s), and upon enquiring with the said trespassers, the Project Director, MACS, was seriously humiliated, threatened and abused at in the most disgusting manner.

It was further informed that “…a man barged in and started raising his voice against us whereas the undersigned tried to reason with him as he is speaking to us, ladies, but unfortunately, the same man continued in the same tone and even threatened with dire consequences if we fail to leave the premises”.

He said as such, the Project Director, MACS had requested the office of the DHS (MI) to take necessary action against those perpetrators who were involved in the said untoward incident.

The Meghalaya Aids Control Society (MACS) is an integral part of the Directorate of Health Services and the Health Department, and he being the Director of Health Services (MI), owes the responsibility to address the grievances and complaints raised by its various wings/offices.

Accordingly, he along with few officers, had visited the said building at Lawmali which is under the DHS, so as to enquire about the incident.

Dr War said he was shocked to learn that one Dr T Jamir, who is the Registrar, IIPH, Shillong, had blatantly misbehaved and threatened the Project Director, MACs, Shillong as well as one Dr JB Ranee of MACS, Shillong.

“As such, taking into consideration all the facts and circumstances and to avoid any such incidents in future, the undersigned had directed the said persons to vacate the said rooms/premises which were allotted to MACS, Shillong as the same was being forcefully occupied by the IIPH, Shillong despite that the said rooms/buildings were never handed over to them,” he said.

The DHS (MI) also reiterated that he had rendered exemplary service to the state government since the past three and a half decades, and till date there has never been any complaints against the undersigned.

He said that he has only performed his duties and responsibility as the Director of Health Services (MI) and has acted upon the strong allegations and complaints made by the Project Director, MACS, Shillong, so as to protect and safeguard the said authority as well as the integrity of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Meghalaya, as a whole.

“As such, the show cause notice dated May 27, 2022 issued by your good office is indeed very shocking and unfortunate, and the same is sheer stigma towards the undersigned, without any fault whatsoever on the part of the undersigned,” Dr War said.

He said “the Director, IIPH, Shillong, has gone to the media outlet/agency(s) with its concocted and frivolous allegations against him, without properly verifying the actual facts and circumstances of the said incident, and for which, the said authority is liable to be punished for authoring the news…against the DHS, thereby causing defamation to the Director of Health Services (MI) without any fault on his part. “

The building at Pasteur Hills, Lawmali, Shillong, which was previously occupied by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Shillong, is under the rightful custody and possession of the DHS (MI), Meghalaya, Shillong and a portion of the said building was also occupied by some homeless people who were being accommodated in the said building after the intervention of the District Magistrate, since the time of the first COVID pandemic lockdown.

The reply further stated that the Principal Investigator, ZVBDC, IIPH, Shillong vide letter dated April 13, 2022 had informed the DHS (MI) that the IIPH, Shillong had received a grant from the DBT-Welcome Trust-India Alliance, for the implementation of the said ‘Zoonotic & Vector Borne Diseases (ZVBD) Research and Training Center’ project for a period of five years with effect from January 1, 2022.

As such, in order to effectively implement the said project, the said authority had requested the DHS (MI) to allow the samples drawn by the technicians of IIPH to be stored in the nearest PHCs under the Directorate of Health Services (MI), before transporting the same to the laboratory at IIPH, Shillong.

Accordingly, the Director of Health Services (MI) vide letter dated April 29, 2022, had requested the Director of Higher & Technical Education, Meghalaya, Shillong to clarify if the said institute (IIPH-S) is duly recognized as per the applicable rules and laws for further necessary action in this regard.