Hisar: Biologist on Covid duty shifted to anti-malaria unit

Biologist claimed reshuffle was ‘politically motivated’

A biologist based in Hisar, who held the post of local Covid-19 quarantine in-charge, has been transferred to the district malaria control unit.

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Ramesh Punia, while claiming that the reshuffle was ‘politically motivated’, said, “A man had recently arrived from Gurugram and I, along with a team of health department, went to his house to take him to the isolation ward. His samples were tested for coronavirus and the report came back negative. But, as he had returned from Gurugram, my team on Sunday evening reached his house to paste ‘home quarantined’ poster where we faced opposition from his family members.”

“On Monday morning, I came to know that I have been shifted to the anti-malaria unit. The man is politically connected and used his power to remove me from the post of quarantine in-charge,” he claimed.

Chief medical officer Dr Yogesh Sharma, however, said, “Ramesh Punia basically works under the district malaria officer. Hisar has no malaria case and we intend to maintain that status. Punia has been asked to control malaria spread in the district. There is no political pressure on the health department.”

Despite repeated attempts, comments of the Hisar man could not be elicited.