The Kashmir Scenario Disclosure
SKIMS is the cherished dream of Late Sher-i-Kashmir who single-handedly created history by establishing this tertiary care hospital for the people of J&K who otherwise had to go to Delhi, Chandigarh or Mumbai for treatment. Most of them being poor had to sell their belongings to go outside state for treatment and had to run from pillar to post to seek medical attention.
This great medical facility was commissioned in 1982 (though the construction started in 1975 when Sher-i-Kashmir had to generate money for its construction by going from door to door to collect donations).
During 1980s this institute was considered one of the best hospitals in India. Over a period of time SKIMS started losing its pristine glory because of selection of wrong persons as its Director. Once the head himself has doubtful credentials or is incompetent how one can expect him to manage such a premier hospital cum medical university. When the wrong person is appointed its head through backdoor, it should not surprise anybody to see the place crumbling and collapsing.
This is what exactly happened to SKIMS for the past two years when a person (who was terminated from services for his unauthorized absence from duties for eight years and who managed his re-entry in SKIMS through backdoor and got unusual benefits every time including relaxation of requisite experience during 2005 for selection as Professor) was appointed as its Director ignoring other 12 candidates who had much superior credentials and merit.
Not only that Dr. Showkat Zargar managed to become the Director of this prestigious institute he started browbeating the government right from day one. He became law unto himself behaving like a Dictator and scaring everybody around by haphazard methods he uses to administer this place. It created anarchy, indiscipline and lack of accountability. Consequently, patient care, teaching and research are at the lowest ebb.
The head of the institution is himself the law violator on the every front and has lowered down the prestige of SKIMS. Director is even involved in the financial irregularities, nepotism, corruption,objectionable activities and has added one more feather in the cap of the bureaucrats and respectable person of the society. This person leaves the hospital at the mercy of the God when he leaves for the foreign tours at the expenses of the government without seeking theirpermission and this fact can be ascertained from the passport of the Director and it looks eminently clear that he is backed by some unseen hands/hidden forces and he is unmoved, despite the fact that everything has been put on record by the newspapers but no responsibility is fixed on the Director SKIMS.
The Director SKIMS is Ex- officio Secretary to Govt and his powers are unlimited particularly with regard to this Institution. Unfortunately he highhandedly uses his authority to crush employees. Appointment of Resident doctors, Computer Associates, Nursing Aids, Nurses, Hospital Attendants and other cadres has invited lot of criticism from very sections of population as it is based on pick and choose and not on merit.
In recent past when the Audit Committee from Principal Auditor General Office, conducted the functional audit of SKIMS, an order was issued under the seal and signature of Assistant Audit Officer in the name of FA/CAO SKIMS Soura vide his communication dated 13-8-2012 in which it was emphatically made clear that the patients care was poor and the pathetic condition of the institute desired to be published in the print and electronic media, so that the people / Government will get awakening call about the fast deteriorating situation of the institute.
As per the communication there is acute shortage of drugs, IV fluids (Glucose) in the super Specialist Hospital, shortage of drugs and improper ventilation, shortage of anti- cancer and life-
saving drugs, overcrowding and higher suffocation in patient care areas, long queue of patients at the sample collection counter and OPD Clinics and against the required 700 nurses there are only 400 nurses and Nursing Orderlies are grossly inadequate.
Yet another communication came to be issued on 24-08-2012 under the seal and signature of Assistant Audit officer under the subject of use of expired insecticides. It was made abundantly clear in this communication that test check records revealed as per the requisition made by the ward 4 (Urology Department) that there are rats in the wards, the insecticides which were being used bearing the manufacturing date as 2001 and clandestinely the expiry date has been erased to conceal the evidence. How has payment been made to the supplier for the rejected and ineffective insecticide needs an answer? How was rejected supply being used in the hospital? To determine the truth it needs an enquiry.
That the illegal dealing with the employees for the promotions and the incentives is the order of the day and it has become an commercial activity in the Institute, the matter has taken a different color, the laws have been violated and thrown to wind, the matter is of grave concern, there is complete confusion and chaos in the administration of the institution, which is the prime reason for the malfunctioning of the institute.
It is aptly clear Dr. Showkat Ali Zargar lacks the sense of responsibility, sense of the accountability and sense of the reasonable approach and also lacks the qualities of the professionalism. When Dr. Showkat was the head of the department of Gastroenterology and patients namely Dilshada Begum Wife of Bashir Ahmad Bhat resident of Dachigam Bandipora Kashmir was under the personal treatment and supervision of this Doctor Showkat Ali Zargar who was subjected to death by the criminal negligence of the Dr. Showkat Ali Zargar. The inquiry committee was constituted who gave it report vide order dated 30-12-2009 and matter was referred to the expert penal.
Director has found innovative methods of corruption. There are documents which pertains to the female employee namely Mrs. Haseena Akhter who has been promoted against a much higher post for which she was not eligible under the rules and regulation but despite having
poor performance as depicted in her APRs of 2009 and 2010. Reasons for manipulating her APRs by the Director SKIMS can best be explained by worthy Director of the institute himself. It needs to be investigated as to how poor performance of this female employee was converted into excellent grade by tampering the records. It is worthwhile to mention here that Vigilance Organisation froze the Saving Bank Account of Mrs.Hassina Akhter in October 2012 when they found crores of rupees being deposited in her salary account maintained by J&K Bank SKIMS Branch.
Media highlighted the illegal appointment of a candidate Mohd Abass Khanday as CSSD Assistant when he has not appeared in the interview at all. And the one Irshad Ahmad Qureshi, who appeared in interview, has been dropped.
After taking over as Director SKIMS, he ordered condemnation of equipment worth 5 crores mostly in Gastroenterology department including endoscopes without following codal formalities.
Some sensitive and sensational issues have been brought to the notice of the higher authorities by employees of SKIMS and local and national media regarding mismanagement and corruption at SKIMS – Purchase of Oxygen Plant (1.5 crores ) despite rejection by the Inspection Committee comprising of Professors/Sr. Faculty of SKIMS. There is no action taken regarding the decision of Purchase Committee to lodge a Court Case against the concerned company for cheating in supply of Oxygen Plant to SKIMS.
Similarly, for purchase of Linear Accelerator (21 crores project), it is full of flaws – without User Department requisition, without Administrative approval of Hon’ble. CM, there is No Technical Sanction from Chief Engineer, No permission from BARC) and Endoscopes, etc.
Since the Director’s office is issuing and receiving tenders, the purchase section has been made defunct resulting in non-availability of most of the small but essential and vital items as there cost is less as compared to costly equipment which are procured on priority. Director himself generations the requisition, himself processes the case as CMM, accords administrative approval himself as Director and approves the purchase himself as Chairman of the Purchase Sub Committee. Mixing of so many functions and leaving no scope for monitoring is a big question mark that raises many eyebrows.
The other pertinent questions are where from does the money come for frequent creation and subsequent dismantling of walls, rooms, partitions. Have these works been tendered out? Which Director will issue orders that even if a nail is to be fixed in the hospital, his permission is a must. What is the role of 200 officers, engineers, administrators of skims when Dr Zargar has to fix the nail and switch himself.
Dr Showkat Ali Zargar was on the foreign assignment for pretty long time, which is more than 8 years. Subsequently his services were terminated from SKIMS by the then Governor of J&K. He was later re-inducted in service at SKIMS by his cousin Director Dr.Mehrajudin (the then Director). The period of absence from SKIMS was treated as Dies-non and in law it was not to be reckoned for any of the service benefit but despite that Dr Showkat Ali Zargar was given the march over the senior members, ignoring his ineligibility for the post as he did not have 25 year service at the time of submitting of application for the said post. His shortcomings and deficiencies were ignored because one of the expert members in the selection committee was Dr Mehraj-ud–Din, Ex Director SKIMS, who happens to be the cousin of Dr Showkat Ali Zargar and who prevailed upon other members of the selection committee and managed to recommend the name of Dr Showkat Ali Zargar for the post of the Director SKIMS Ironically Dr. Showkat had several cases pending in the Security agencies and Vigilance Organization when he was appointed Director SKIMS., as it is mandatory to obtain clearance from these agencies before the orders are issued.
(TO BE CONTD…..)