Defiant Health Secy continues to skip key meets of AAP govt

Delhi Health Secretary Chandrakar Bharti, who is also the Environment Secretary here, is once again into the limelight for working ‘whimsically’ and neglecting the instructions of the AAP government. Earlier, his name had come in public attention when the government sought disciplinary action against him for the alleged delay in issuing draft notification banning Chinese manjha in the city. 

A government source, who does not wish to be named, has claimed that Bharti most often skips various meetings being called by the Delhi ministers. On Wednesday, Delhi minister Satyendar Jain held a meeting with Secretary, PWD, Engineer-in-Chief along with all chief engineers, Director General of Health services and Chief Project Manager (Health) to review and discuss measures to cope up  with situations but Bharti did not attend the meeting.

In another similar ‘laxity’, the Secretary has also remained absent from the recent meeting organised to discuss the opening of new mohalla clinics at four night shelters, the source has claimed. 

“Both the meetings were of vital importance, but the officer has skipped both and not even given any excuse for it. All the department heads were notified about the meeting, despite that, Bharti showed no interest in attending these crucial meetings,” the source noted. 

It may be mentioned that recently Health Minister Satyendar Jain had alleged (during a hearing at Supreme Court) that a few officials were not cooperating and taking responsibility to check the spread of vector-borne diseases. 

Earlier on August 17 this year, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia wrote to LG Najeeb Jung, saying, Bharti has “failed” to issue the notification before the Independence Day despite the fact that the Environment Minister had on August 5 approved the same and thereafter, LG had given his nod to it. Sisodia had termed it as “gross negligence” of primary duty by the senior civil servant and sought disciplinary action against Bharti, who was positioned on the Environment Secretary post. 

Soon after that on August 29-30, Bharti replaced Health Secretary Tarun Seem.