Ministry gives one day to open locked office : Director's office still locked, staff protest
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 27 2014: In response to RIMS Director Dr Ch Arun Kumar's complaint regarding locking of Director's office by Dr S Sekharjit, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has directed the new Director to lodge an FIR with the concerned police station in this regard.

In an official letter received today, the Ministry instructed the new Director that a statement informing Dr Sekharjit to open the lock within 24 hours must be published in newspapers.

The letter said that the District Magistrate must be pleaded to depute a Magistrate at the time of opening the locked office.

Meanwhile, Prof Ch Arun Kumar who has taken over the charge of RIMS Director held a meeting with Heads of Departments and discussed about improving health care service provided by the medical institute.

With his experience as the Head of Department, Orthopaedics, Prof Ch Arun Kumar is aware of the lapses in RIMS administration.

Today's meeting with the Heads of Departments is the new Director's first step towards improving health care service in RIMS, said a source.

Although it was customary for every new Director to hold meeting with Heads of Departments after assuming charge, Prof Arun Kumar sought suggestions, opnions and cooperation from all the Heads of Departments for overall development of RIMS.

He also appealed to all the doctors of RIMS to come to the hospital in time.

On the other hand, a group of contract staff and students took out a protest rally to denounce replacement of RIMS Director at the campus of the medical institute today.

Interestingly, the rally was led by Dr Sekharjit's wife Dr S Damayenti and former RIMS Media Advisor Iboyaima Laithangbam who was boycotted by the All Manipur Working Journalists Union sometime back this year.

The rallyists, comprised of a few MBBS students, Nursing and Dental College students and contract staff, held placards that read as 'Injustice done to RIMS Director by Ministry', 'Don't kill without judgment' and 'Please maintain harmony' etc.

Dr Damayenti told reporters that removal of Dr Sekharjit from his post was a fallout of a conspiracy hatched by some vested interest individuals with political clouts.

Saying that allegations levelled against her husband were baseless and concocted, Dr Damayenti said that Dr Sekharjit is the most competant person in RIMS to hold the post of Director.

Contending that Dental College was brought to RIMS by Dr Sekharjit, Dr Damayenti urged the authority concerned to revoke the order of Dr Sekharjit's removal from his post.

Responding to a query raised by a reporters why regular staff of RIMS did not take part in the rally, Dr Damayanti said, "It is their wish" .

Dental OPD was closed during the rally and the Dental College Principal too took in the rally.

It may be mentioned that since Dr Sekharjit's appointment to the post of RIMS Director, the medical institute hit the newspaper headlines for wrong reasons regularly.

There were several allegations against him that included irregularity in the appointment of Nursing Superintendant and fund mismanagement during purchase of dental chairs.

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