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‘Thank you but…’, Uttarakhand doc who quit over ‘harassment’ on Dhami’s probe order
Dr Nidhi Uniyal said she was thankful that chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami intervened in the matter and ordered an inquiry, but the real question is a work atmosphere in which it is difficult to work.
Dehradun: A day after Dr Nidhi Uniyal, associate professor with the Government Doon Medical College, resigned alleging a “high-handed” behaviour of health secretary Pankaj Pandey, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday ordered a probe into the matter and directed officials to cancel her transfer to Almora. Dhami directed chief secretary SS Sandhu to initiate a high-level inquiry into the matter. The chief secretary has directed additional chief secretary Manisha Pawar to conduct a fact-finding inquiry into the case and submit her report.
Dr Uniyal said she was thankful that the chief minister has intervened in the matter and ordered an inquiry, but the real question is about the atmosphere at work in which it is difficult to work.
Dr Uniyal sent a resignation letter alleging that while compromising her duty at her hospital’s OPD, she went to health secretary Pankaj Pandey’s house under instructions for a medical checkup of his wife on Thursday. The doctor said she was humiliated by the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer’s wife and when she responded, she was punished by a transfer to the medical college, Almora.
In her resignation letter - “Resignation in protest of high handed behaviour of secretary health” - Dr Uniyal stated that on March 31, she received a transfer order from Doon medical college to Government medical college Almora with immediate effect.
The letter, detailing the sequence of events, stated, “I am currently working as an associate professor in Government Doon Medical College, Dehradun. I was asked to attend the ailing wife of Pankaj Pandey, secretary health at her residence. With due regards to the health secretary, I visited his residence with two of my hospital staff, leaving my running OPD and kept waiting number of patients in the hospital.”
The letter stated, “I visited her residence and examined her duly and as BP (Blood Pressure) instrument was left in the car, arrival of BP instrument was delayed, wife of Pandey resorted to usage of unpleasantry words, demeaning to my profession and conduct. To which I objected, felt bad and came back. Upon my return, I was asked to tender an apology to Pandey’s wife. As I am not at fault, I refused to tender an apology. This is kind of toxic and I am a qualified trained doctor from India’s premier medical colleges. Given this harassment at the behest of secretary health, I hereby resign from my post of associate professor with a plea that an action must be initiated against the secretary.”
