Khanduri's axe falls on four doctors

Dehradun, June 6 (UNI) Four government doctors of Uttarakhand have come under the scanner of Chief Minister Maj Gen (Retd) B C Khanduri for remaining absent from duty.

Subhash Kumar, Principal Secretary to the CM, said lady doctor Alka Punetha of Sridev Suman Hospital, Narendra Nagar, of Tehri district was found absent from duty from 1st January to March 31.

From 1st to 10th April she was on earned leave. Meanwhile, her husband surgeon doctor L C Punetha was found absent for the same period as his wife and from 1st to 10th April he was on medical leave.

Both were caught by the Tehri District Magistrate during a surprise check initiated on the orders of the chief minister.

According to reports, the husband- wife duo ran a private clinic here in Dehradun which was against the norms. The Chief Minister has asked the Chief Secretary (Health) and Director (Health) to take stringent action against them.

The other doctors found absent from duty included radiologist Dr R P Choudhary and ENT surgeon Dr D P Raturi from the same hospital (Sridev Suman Hospital).

Dr Choudhary was found rendering his services to the hospital while staying permanently in Dehradun while Dr Raturi resides in Rishikesh.

Stringent action has been ordered against both the doctors.

A surprise check at the Managing Director's Office of Forest Development Corporation by the District Magistrate revealed that not a single officer was found to be present in his office. All of them were found to be operating from Dehradun notwithstanding the Chief Minister's instructions to all the officers to operate from their respective offices. The Head of the Department has been asked to render clarification on the matter by the Chief Minister.

UNI