The ban order is now likely to spare senior doctors attached to medical colleges in the state, the sources said. Others serving in hospitals and primary health care units would face the chance of being put under the ban, they added.

The ten-day-old express ban order -- the Health Minister had promised to enforce it with immediate effect -- has remained on paper so far with state doctors showing no signs of halting their private practice. At a meeting yesterday, the 11,000-odd state doctors and the Bihar Health Services Association threatened the State Government with "dire consequences" if any attempt was made to enforce the provisions of ban.

Though the Junior Doctors Association and Teachers Association are in favour of the ban, thestate government is reluctant to go ahead now. The government's intention to climb down from its earlier stand was also evident in the constitution of a sub-committee to negotiate with the doctors. Besides the Chairman of Legislative Council, Jabir Hussain, the committee comprises Minister for Water Resources Jagadanand Singh, PHED Minister Munshi Lal Roy, Health Minister Mahavir Prasad and Rural Development Minister Awadh Bihari Choudhary.

Sources said three members -- Hussain, Singh and Roy -- were opposed to action against the doctors; this was confirmed by the Chairman of the Doctors' Joint Action Committee, Dr A A Hai.