Lucknow, Jul 5 (PTI) A large-scale transfer of doctors and health staff in Uttar Pradesh has kicked off a controversy, with Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak seeking details of all those shifted and reasons for it.

The state's Medical Education Minister Mayakeshwar Singh has also asked the director general of the Health Department to provide information about the officers who have completed seven years in divisional offices and the status of other employees.

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Two doctors' bodies--Provincial Medical Services Association (PMSA) and the Rajya Karmchari Sanyukt Parishad (RKSP)--pointing out that two dead doctors figured in the transfer list.

Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Medical and Health, Amit Mohan Prasad, from whom the deputy chief minister has sought a reply, it's an internal matter of the department and a reply will be given to the health minister.

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"I will not talk to the media about this," he said.

Reacting to the controversy, opposition Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said it proves that "some forces are running the state from behind".

Pathak, who holds the health portfolio, questioned the transfers in the department in his absence.

"It has been brought to my notice that the transfer policy has not been properly followed. I have asked the ACS to give details of all those transferred and also the reason for their shifting," Pathak told PTI-Bhasha on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Rajya Karmachari Sanyukt Parishad (RKSP) president J N Tiwari complained to Pathak against the transfer policy for paramedical employees and sought cancellation of the orders while seeking a probe.

Tiwari alleged that the director general, health, and the director, paramedical, have flouted norms and made transfers "arbitrarily".

The PMSA's state president Dr Sachin Vaish told PTI, "This year, the transfer policy has not been properly followed. Even dead doctors have been transferred".

Dr Deependra Singh, who was posted as the additional chief medical officer in Chitrakoot, died last month but the orders showed him transferred to Prayagraj on the same post, Vaish said.

Similarly, Dr Sudhir Chandra, who was posted as the deputy chief medical officer in Barabanki, had died a month back. The orders show his transfer to Fatehpur district, he said.

Vaish said even the rules regarding the shifting of doctors who happen to be husband and wife have not been followed.

The rules says that they should be transferred to the same district but the PMSA has received a dozen complaints where they have been shifted to different districts.

Dr Vaish said a delegation of PMSA office-bearers will soon meet Pathak to complain about the lapses.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)