Files being bypassed: Kejriwal tells LG

NEW DELHI: A fresh tussle has emerged between Raj Niwas and the Delhi government over appointment-related files being by bypassed the elected Delhi government.

On Saturday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to send him the file on empowering heads of government hospitals to hire contractual staff, alleging that officials had refused to show it to him citing the LG's orders.

"We have a situation in many Delhi government hospitals, where we have ventilators but no ventilator staff to operate them. We have machines like X-ray, CT scan and MRI, but no staff to run them," said Kejriwal in a letter to Baijal.

Many hospitals see long queues outside medicine dispensing counters. Lack of pharmacists in many government hospitals is leading to fewer medicine counters being operated.

The move comes over a month after the Chief Minister held a meeting with all medical superintendents to review the functioning of hospitals, where it was decided to empower them to hire contractual staff till vacant posts are filled up on a regular basis.

At the meeting, the Chief Secretary had been directed to seek the LG's approval in view of the "huge shortage" of staff in Delhi government hospitals.

"I understand that the proposal for the same has been sent to you without showing it to the Health minister, the Finance minister or the Chief Minister," Kejriwal's letter read.

"In the proposal, I am told that the bureaucracy has imposed such conditions that as a result, no medical superintendent would be able to practically hire anyone," he said.

He also claimed that when asked for the file, officers said that the LG had asked them not to show the file to any minister, including the Chief Minister.

"Without showing it (file) to any minister/CM and without seeking their approval, the file has been sent directly to the LG," he said.

In the letter, Kejriwal urged Baijal to send the file to him so that he and his ministers could offer their comments on the basis of their extensive visits to various government hospitals and their interactions with several patients, doctors and hospitals.

"The final decision would, of course, be taken by the LG," Kejriwal said.

"Our objective is the same, i.e. to provide best quality healthcare to the people of Delhi. It is in best interests of Delhi that all of us work together and in a transparent manner," the letter noted.