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| Is Lal Singh competent as Minister to impose fine on erring staff …? | | 'Powers to enforce fine delegated only to DMs, Judges ….' | | Early Times Report
Jammu, May 25 : In a bid to enforce discipline among the rank and file of Health Department, Minister for Health and Medical Education Lal Singh has been following a pro active line of frequent and surprise visits to institutions across the state. In the process, over the last two months the Minister as a measure of deterrence has imposed fine of various amounts on what he found and felt were aberrations in terms of dereliction of duties. The moot question that has begun to be discussed even within the coalition government is that no matter Lal Singh is the highest authority in his department but is he competent authority to impose or collect fine from the erring staff.
Sources said Health Minister Lal Singh's policy of acting tough may bring in some discipline and order where it is needed most in the Health Department but the very approach he is adopting is being questioned not only in the concerned department but also in the power echelons, no matter he has not been formally asked so from the quarters in the government so far. However, legal experts are looking upon it as something which is not within the powers of the minister, sources said. Sources further said that two days back when Lal Singh again went about with the similar strategy, when he imposed a fine of Rs 500 on the Pharmacist in Samba for allegedly keeping a stock of expired medicines, the question has gained weight with the critics and even those who have been appreciating Lal Singh's pro active approach, albeit only for the sake of putting the derailed system in place. While the criticism is for the way Lal Singh goes about which amounts to humiliation of the staff, which many view as dictatorial, the finger is also being pointed as to how and in what capacity he is imposing fine and what parameter he adopts in deciding about the amount to be charged as fine from alleged erring staff for whatever deviation or dereliction of duties. Sources also said in the administrative quarters minister's approach with respect to imposing fine is being seen and stated as unusual, as this has neither been in the past in this state nor in any other state. While the intent of the minister in doing so is good and for a good cause of streamlining the Health department, but no one except the judges are competent and well within the powers to impose fine on any one, that too when there is a defined offence committed by anyone, said the sources adding that for aberrations like not wearing uniform or an identity card, there are as such no clauses of defined offence not to speak of imposing fine of varied amounts. |
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