Twenty-four health institutes were found locked and 30 officials found absent from their duties during a surprise checking in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, an official said on November 9.




Special teams led by additional deputy commissioners inspected a total of 120 health institutions, including 26 in Nowshera, 25 in Sunderbani, 19 in Kalakote, 20 in Darhal, 26 in Manjakote and four in Kandi, he said. During the surprise checking, six health institutions in Nowshera, five in Sunderbani, five in Kalakote, two in Darhal, one in Kandi and five in Manjakote were found locked.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Suresh Gupta has been asked to initiate strict disciplinary action in this regard, the official said. The salaries of block medical officers (BMOs) in Sunderbani, Nowshera, Kalakote and Manjakote have been withheld till further orders, he said.

Meanwhile, 30 employees at the health institutes were found absent from their duties and 94 were on leave, the official said. An explanation is being sought from the CMO and BMOs whether they followed the leave rules in sanctioning leave of such a large number of employees. 

The deputy commissioner said the surprise checking was to ensure punctuality and discipline in the government-run health institutions. He said action shall also be initiated against authorities who have sanctioned leaves in an irrational and casual manner.