M A I N   N E W S

PGI Director faces probe
Ganguly to hold temporary charge
Tripti Nath
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 29
The PGI Institute body, at an extraordinary meeting here today decided to initiate minor penal proceedings against its Director, Professor S.K. Sharma, and entrusted the Director-General of the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), Professor N.K. Ganguly, with the additional charge of PGI Director for a short period.

Professor Ganguly has served PGI as Head of the Department of Experimental Medicine and Biotechnology.

Sources in the Health Ministry told TNS that members of the institute body, the highest decision making body of the institute were in agreement that a government inquiry should be conducted to look into allegations that Professor Sharma appointed his nephew as Junior Engineer in March 2000. Setting a three-month deadline for completion of the inquiry, the members said Professor Ganguly would hold charge as PGI Director till then. Professor Sharma had been asked to proceed on leave following the CVC’s recommendations.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Sushma Swaraj chaired the meeting.

Contrary to speculation, the Acting Director, Professor R.J. Dash, Head of the Department of Endicrinology, was not given extension a day before his retirement.

The meeting of the institute body was held to consider the advice of the Central Vigilance Commission for initiating disciplniary proceedings against its Director. The CVC recommendation stems from charges that Professor Sharma ignored rules to appoint his nephew.

Prominent among the 19 members who attended the meeting were Rajya Sabha MP, Manmohan Singh, Secretary, Health, J.V.R. Prasada Rao and Director-General of Health Services, S.P. Aggarwal. Sources said officers from the PGI were not allowed to attend the meeting in view of its sensitive agenda.

Reacting to the unsavoury developments, Professor S.K. Sharma said: “These decisions have been taken unilaterally. The institute body is a supreme body. I met people in the Health Ministry five days back but they advised me against attending the meeting. I’ve not been given an opportunity to present my case. It is some consolation that PGI Deputy Director (Administration), Meeta Rajeev Lochan and Acting Director, R.J. Dash were not allowed to attend the meeting.”

The decision of the institute body is reported to have generated a controversy in the PGI and may even cause unrest on the campus, sources said.