Allegation of graft against a top official; government keeps mum

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, January 29: Allegation of huge fincial anomalies has been levelled against the present joint director of Nursing under the Directorate of Health Services and the former in–charge registrar of the Assam Nurses’ Midwives and Health Visitors’ Council, Nivarani Doley.

The alleged fincial anomalies done by Doley was reported to the former health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who, in a letter to the Secretary of the Department concerned in September 2013, stated that Doley, in the me of enrolment fees, had collected Rs 2,000 to Rs 6,000 from each person who was interested to take admission in the ANM course. The fees were taken without issuing them proper receipts, the ex–minister stated in the letter.

Sarma even stated in the letter that the official concerned had failed to give a convincing reply against the charge. “The matter is serious in ture. As such, the matter should be looked into urgently. The Registrar  may be asked whether there is any Government approval for collection of such fees, etc...” the letter stated.  

Later, Doley was removed from the post of in–charge registrar of the Assam Nurses’ Midwives and Health Visitors’ Council but the process of enquiry against her hadn’t moved further since then.

Sources alleged that Doley, with the support of some of the department officials, had maged to hoodwink the entire enquiry process once instituted into the alleged fincial anomalies done by her.

During her tenure as the former in–charge registrar of the Assam Nurses’ Midwives and Health Visitors’ Council, the seats for the ANM course in the Khetri–based Amiya Bharali Nursing School had been increased from 30 to 40, violating prescribed rules. Doley didn’t have the authority to raise the number of seats in that institution.

There is also an allegation that she once kept Rs 8 lakh in cash with her, which was meant for departmental purpose, instead of the department’s bank account, for which she had been issued a show–cause notice. This was also mentioned in the audit report of the fincial year 2012–13.

Doley allegedly kept around Rs 1.5 lakh of ANM exam fees collected from students of the Red Cross Society with her instead of depositing the same in the department’s bank account. There are also few other allegations of fincial anomalies against her.

Sources said the authorities concerned, despite being well aware of the same, is yet to take action against Doley who is holding the post of joint director of Nursing till date.

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