Editor,
Apropos the news item, “Citizens unhappy over transfer of TCH specialists” (ST Feb 5, 2019), as a citizen of Tura who frequents the Tura Civil Hospital for treatment, I am shocked at the brazen transfer of the few generalist and specialist doctors from the Hospital just because the ruling dispensation believes that their relatives are supporting the Opposition party.
I am asking the question everyone else is asking: What was the Chief Minister thinking when he signed on and agreed to the transfer orders? Was he so dumb not to know the repercussions or was he too busy that he had no time to look into the matter and blindly signed on it? Or did the Health Minister keep him in the dark? Perhaps this is the direct consequence that the electorate of Garo Hills have to bear for not having Cabinet Ministers to represent the Garo Hills region, apart from the two brothers who are too engrossed with their own party work that they fail to see beyond it.
What was the logic of transferring the specialist doctors when there is a dearth of specialists in the Tertiary Referral Centre, Garo Hills? Then there is talk of implementing the Adarsh Policy by bringing in specialist doctors from outside! Really? Does Govt think that the specialist doctors from other states will actually come and work here when they are handsomely paid outside? Or does Govt intend to bring in the Diploma holder specialists with doubtful credentials from outside and play with the ignorant and poor patients of Garo Hills? Rather the government should upgrade the only Tertiary Referral Centre, Tura Civil Hospital, where the local doctors and specialist doctors can serve with satisfaction. When the Government effects transfer orders at short intervals the working environment is also disturbed. This will reflect on the quality of services provided to the patients. It disturbs their mental peace when they work with the anticipation of a transfer order every now and again. It must indeed be exhausting to work in such an environment. Mind you these local specialist doctors returned to serve their people in spite of the options they have of working outside with perks and salaries that are too tempting to resist!.
Lastly, please do appreciate and recognise the services and sacrifices rendered by these doctors for our people before more doctors and specialist doctors are discouraged to serve in Govt Hospitals and join elsewhere. Tura Civil Hospital has already witnessed the resignation of half a dozen specialist doctors in the last few years. There is need to create a warm working environment in the hospitals and to upgrade the existing Tertiary Referral Centre so that the poor and the needy can benefit from it. The Govt should stop using its vendetta politics of transferring honest, sincere, hardworking doctors to satisfy inflated egos. It shows nothing but frustration driven by hatred and revenge!
Yours etc.,
Jennifer Momin,
Via email
Terrible condition of Govt Fruits Garden
Editor,
The Government of Meghalaya inherited a massive orchard stretching from Motinagar to Risa /Cleave Colony, complete with a processing unit and sales depot, much before horticulture and floriculture were identified as key sectors for Meghalaya’s economic growth. This Fruits Garden, had numerous kinds of trees and plants such as apples, pears, plums, chestnut, peaches etc and a host of seasonal flowers. Its sales outlet did brisk business in fruits and processed fruits such as jams, jellies, fruit juice, pickles, and seeds and saplings. The upkeep of the gardens was excellent and often, tourists were seen making a beeline to see the beautiful gardens. Alas, No more! In the last few years, the maintenance of the garden has been the most terrible. No new saplings have been planted and the existing trees are being regularly cut to be used as fuel wood and to construct pig sties by dubious individuals who are living in make shift houses all over the garden. Is there a Government decision to convert the beautiful Fruits Garden into a piggery farm? Who is responsible for the terrible condition of the Fruits Garden? Instead of using the infrastructure as the hub of the horticulture, floriculture and bee keeping initiative of the state it is being systematically destroyed. Will the Minister concerned personally inspect the gardens and ensure corrective measures?
Yours etc.,
Concerned citizens,
(Names withheld on request)
Action and Powers of Police
Editor
The Police is given statutory powers to properly do its work. At the same time, Police is part of the society, and ultimately, the Police is for the benefit of the citizens of the country. However, it is observed that the Police is more than willing to bend its back to please the powers at play, whether its local, state or national. While the opposition accuses the CBI, ED, etc for harassment, the same people when in power, act to the contrary.
Police must learn from institutions like the Defence Services, and must feel secured that enough safeguard is provided to them to act as per their service conditions. It is when they do not that they start getting pressurized into submission. The recent case of the CBI trying to make a case by sending about 40 of its personnel to grill the Commissioner of Police of Kolkata is a case in point. The CBI could have handled the matter in a more appropriate way, including knocking the doors of the courts (as it did a day later), but perhaps it followed urgent instructions from its political bosses, who wanted to score brownie points over its opponents. The CBI is again brought to disrepute by this act of theirs, and it has brazenly gone beyond what is expected of it.
Yours etc.,
A Bhuyan
Nagaon