The state Health department is yet to ratify the appointment of six additional medical superintendents for the Civil Hospital made by the then state health commissioner in November 2008. Incidentally, the six continue to work and draw additional salary.

The appointments as “additional medical superintendent” — over and above the medical superintendent Dr Manjula Anchalia — had been made on November 28, 2008 under the category of additional director, medical education and research, Gandhinagar. The order had made it clear that the administrative task assigned to each of them was besides their regular duty and that they would be paid additional Rs 500 per month subject to government approval.

The appointments were for a year and they were instructed to take charge and intimate the government about the same. An RTI application on July 27, 2009 to the Health Department sought a copy of the appointment order and other details like who appointed them and whether the appointment had government approval. It was also sought to know how much money was paid to them and under which head of the budget.

The additional director of medical education and research, Gandhinagar, in the reply of August 18, 2009 said the appointment of additional medical superintendents was made pending approval under a government resolution (No mcg-1095-2203-ja/12.6.1995) of the Health and Family Welfare Department These appointments were made at the health commissioner’s level, the applicant was informed.

It was also made clear in the reply to the second query at the same time that the Health Department did not grant permission for these appointments in the light of this resolution. Dr Bharat Shah, Dean, B J Medical College, said he did not have administrative control on the additional superintendents, as they worked directly under the medical superintendent.

... contd.