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| Previous PDP-BJP Govt dumped DC Srinagar's report for improving things at college | | Mess continues at Dental College Srinagar | | Jehangir Rashid
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Aug 8: In March this year Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah submitted a report to the state government and suggested slew of measures so as to improve the atmosphere at Government Dental College (GDC) Srinagar.
The situation at GDC Srinagar had gone out of control after a student was slapped by a faculty member in January. The student had refused to do menial jobs assigned to him by his guide and then Head Department of Orthodontics, Prof. Mohammad Mushtaq Najar.
Instead of implementing the steps suggested by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) government yet again came to the rescue of Principal GDC Srinagar, Dr. Reyaz Farooq. The previous coalition government in the state has been shielding Dr. Reyaz despite many complaints against him.
In his report, the DC Srinagar had suggested that pro student measures should be taken at Dental College, Srinagar. However, the college administration led by Principal GDC Srinagar did not take any step so as to inculcate confidence among the student community. The students of the college continue to suffer due to the follies of college administration.
"The college needs to immediately take measures for student welfare by engaging them positively and taking all steps necessary to ensure their welfare. PG scholars under no circumstances should be made to do odd jobs or any other work within the charter of their professional duty/responsibility," reads the report of DC Srinagar.
The report said that student teacher relationship has received a body blow at GDC Srinagar and immediate remedial measures need to be taken to prevent further damage to the college. It said that the image of dental college and hospital has been badly dented adding remedial measures need to be taken to salvage the little bit pride of the same.
"A robust system of human resource management needs to be put in place to redress grouse of most faculty/staff members about career progression which is a major reason for discontentment among the faculty/staff. Effective and efficient grievance redressal system mechanism must immediately be put in place to redress issues pertaining to students and faculty members. This will prevent the matters from snowballing into a crisis every time," reads the report. The report said that for student welfare the college must immediately frame a students' body on the lines of CASS Union in other medical colleges of state. It said that consultation among stakeholders and collective decision making is a principle worth practicing and must be put in place at GDC Srinagar immediately.
"The college administration must always be carried out in a consultative and collaborative manner. The institution is academic in nature and must permit difference of opinion at intellectual levels. Regimentation has never succeeded and will not in this academic institution also," reads the report.
The report said that the mistrust between students and faculty and the faculty members within themselves must be arrested immediately. It breeds negativity and conspiracies in an academic institution that has lost its sheen due to miserable infighting, the report added.
The only step the state government took after the submission of report was the removal of Prof Mushtaq from his position. He was attached with Directorate of Health Services Kashmir. The mess at GDC Srinagar can be understood by the fact that Dr. Reyaz is not conducting practical examination of students of Department of Orthodontics.
The Principal GDC Srinagar showed reluctance in holding the theoretical examination for students of Department of Orthodontics. The examination could be held only after the proactive role of the Head of Department of Orthodontics.
Dr. Reyaz was appointed as in-charge Principal GDC Srinagar in 2004 by then PDP-Congress government in the state. The successive state governments have failed to remove him and he continues to call shots. Supreme Court's directive that a person can remain as in-charge Principal for one year has also been flouted at GDC Srinagar.
Pertinent to mention here that SVO registered a case against Dr. Reyaz in 2012 after it was established that he had purchased medical equipment for GDC Srinagar and GDC Jammu at exorbitant rates thus causing loss in crores of rupees to the state ex-chequer. The multi-crore purchase scandal came to the fore after revelations that came through a Right to Information (RTI) application moved by Tanveer Hussain Khan.
After preliminary investigations that led to the revelation of purchase scandal the anti-corruption court in Srinagar started the formal investigations in the case. The inquiry established the fraud and finally a First Information Report (FIR) under FIR number 33/2012 under section 161 of Ranbir Penal Code was registered against Principal GDC, Srinagar.
The inquiry officer probing the case established that equipment was purchased on exorbitant rates in order to cause monetary benefits to Principal GDC, Srinagar and officials of the company that supplied the equipment. In his report to then Special Judge Anti-Corruption Kashmir, Aijaz Ahmad Mir, the inquiry officer had written that machine Orthophos X G5 DS Ceph had been procured on exorbitant rates in order to cause undue pecuniary benefits to Dr. Reyaz and some others.
After this Special Judge Anti-Corruption Kashmir directed SSP Vigilance Organization to register formal FIR in the case if in his opinion any ground for the same exists on the basis of the findings arrived at by the inquiry officer under the relevant provisions of law. The vigilance organization while carrying out probe also found that fraud has taken place and it was only after this FIR was filed.
The inquiry officer in his report said that he compared the rates of the equipment in the market and found that GDC Principal has paid more for the equipment so that he acquires benefits from the purchase. The rates of the equipment were also presented to the Anti-Corruption Judge by the inquiry officer in a tabular form in his report. |
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