Caught in a row over wages to HDF employees, misuse of official vehicles BMO Khansahb evades action

Srinagar: Facing charges of delaying disbursement of wages to HDF employees of medical block Khansahb and misusing official vehicles, the government’s inaction has left both the people and as well as the employees fuming. While the Deputy Commissioner Budgam says that he will examine the issues, the Block Medical Officer Khansah says he would ensure disbursement of wages to those HDF employees who are not figuring among the petitioners and seek a legal advice from the concerned quarters over the issue of payment of wages to those HDF employees who have gone to the court against the department. Director Health Services Kashmir says that Chief Medical Officer Budgam like his other contemporaries will take a call over this issue.
Delegations of HDF employees told Kashmir Horizon that the incumbent BMO is deliberately delaying the disbursement of wages overdue to them for a very long time and also does not take care of the patient care facilities at the hospitals across medical block Khansahb. They alleged that the BMO is using ambulance and government vehicles for private visits. However when contacted BMO Khansahb Arshid Hussain rebutted the allegations and said “Officials vehicles are not misused at all but some of the ambulances have been deputed to Srinagar for facilitating the transport facilities for COVID-19 patients. As far as payment of wages to HDF employees are concerned we are sorting out the issue with Deputy Commissioner Budgam and a requisition for payment of wages to HDF employees would be sent to his office shortly in a day or two”. However he clarified that for payment of wages to sixty five (65) HDF employees who have filed petitions against the department a legal opinion will be sought from the concerned quarters maintaining there in the commitment to pay wages before eid ul fitr to all those not figuring among petitioners. In total contradiction to the claims of the BMO Khansahb the Chief Medical Officer Budgam has transferred one of the petitioners to Chattergam in another adjoining block which obviously is also violation of court orders and a copy of the said order lies with Kashmir Horizon. Meanwhile sources told Kashmir Horizon that Deputy Commissioner has agreed to release funds for the payment of wages to HDF employees from the disaster management relief fund despite the fact that HDF employees get their wages from the local funds which always remain at the disposal of concerned block medical officers. Interestingly in March this year the Jammu & High Court in a case of the disbursement of salaries to illegal appointees of the health department of several districts has directed the payment salaries to them observing therein that salaries can’t be stopped if their cases are sub judicious.
When contacted Deputy Commissioner Budgam told Kashmir Horizon “no comments please”. When asked that would he issues any directions to BMO Khansahb over the payment of wages to HDF employees the Deputy Commissioner said “will examine the issue”. When contacted Director Health Services Kashmir Dr Sameer Matoo told Kashmir Horizon “ the issue pertains to Chief Medical Officer Budgam who likes his contemporaries in other district will take a call and address the grievances genuinely”.