Bengaluru: NIMHANS is likely to get a new director shortly. The new director is likely to be named by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MHFW) over the next few days as Dr. Pradhan is set to retire at the end of the month.
The Director in Charge N. Pradhan, is in the eye of a storm over decisions he has taken during his tenure, including including termination of consultants. Minister of State for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil said on Wednesday that all decisions will be reviewed by the new Director.
Dr. Patil, who as the Medical Education Minister is the vice-chairman of NIMHANS, said the new director will examine if the termination orders and other decisions taken by Dr. Pradhan were done as per rules.
NIMHANS Faculty Association on the warpath
The NIMHANS Faculty Association has not agreed with Dr. Pradhan’s decision, which have affected its memebers. They have termed as arbitrary, decisions that includes termination of consultants, shifting heads of three departments, removal of Registrar V. Ravi and the manner in which the former Director Satish Chandra’s issue was handled. To further their cause of reinstatement, they have written a letter to the Joint Secretary of the MHFW, in which they have pointed out the termination of consultants and removal of three departmental heads. Th ey released the letter on Wednesday evening.
The letter highlighted the cause of former director Dr. Satish Chandra, who they said was asked to go on leave despite having three years of service left, without approval from the ministry, a decision that was subsequently reversed. Last Friday, the assoiciation had conducted a peaceful protest, seeking a meeting Dr. Pradhan to impress upon him the error of his decisions. The letter sought to explain the association’s stand in this regard.
I haven’t flouted any rule: Dr. Pradhan
The Nimhans director Dr N Pradhan on Wednesday sought to clear the air and claimed he flouted no rules while terminating the service of registrar Dr V Ravi.
“Truth needs no proof. Those who question my decision should know the truth. I have been a professor for years and my dream is to make Nimhans a transparent institution. I have taken action that is needed to run the institution in an honest way,” he told reporters.
Shekar K, head of the department of psychiatric social work, who took over as additional registrar-in-charge, said: “Dr Ravi was not appointed registrar. He took charge as an additional registrar-in-charge like me after his predecessor left office in 2010. The director’s decision to remove Ravi was approved by the INI (Institute of National Importance) board on July 25. Ravi too knew about it. His complaint of giving him dismissal letter without prior notice is not true.”
He said as per the INI regulation, there is no post of registrar, but only the deputy director administrator (DDA). “Ravi, head of the virology department, has been dismissed as he was not a government-appointed DDA. His dismissal letter sent by the director has been approved by the joint commissioner,” he said, and added that the allegation of dismissing 13 officials is baseless.
“Those who were dismissed were retired staff. They were kept as consultants unlawfully. They continued to get a part of pension and FT amount of consultancy which was against the INI rules,” he claimed
