Odisha: 4 doctors suspended for dereliction of duty during 'Fani'

Puri (Odisha)[India], May 18 (ANI): The Odisha government on Saturday suspended four assistant surgeons for dereliction of duty during Cyclone Fani, which made landfall in Odisha on May 3.
The doctors facing action are Jahana Parveen and Jakesh Nayak of Chilika-Nuapada CHC and Jasmin Nilima Panda and Bapuji Nayak of Rebana Nuagaon CHC in Brahmagiri.
According to an official statement, the four Puri doctors were found absent when senior officers of the state's health department visited the areas affected by the cyclonic storm.
The state government also transferred Puri chief district medical officer (CDMO) Dr Rama Chandra Rout to the directorate of health as additional director and appointed Dr Amarendranath Mohanty as the new Puri CDMO.
"Whereas a disciplinary proceeding against Dr. Bapuji Nayak, Assistant Surgeon, Group-A (JB), PHC (N), Brahmagiri, under CHC Rebana Nuagaon, Puri is contemplated. Now, therefore the Competent Authority, in exercise of the powers conferred by Clause-(a) of Sub-rule (1) of Rule 12 of Odisha Civil Services (CC&A) Rules, 1962, hereby places the said Dr. Bapuii Nayak under suspension with immediate effect," read the letter issued to Bapuji Nayak.
"It is therefore ordered that during the period of this order shall remain in force the headquarters of Dr. Bapuji Nayak shall be DHH, Puri and the said Dr Nayak shall not leave headquarters without obtaining the prior permission of the competent Authority and he shall be entitled to the payment of subsistence allowance in accordance with Rule-90 of the Odisha Service Code," it stated.

Officials confirmed that similar suspension letters were sent to the other three doctors as well.
The death toll in the state due to cyclone Fani touched 64 with Puri recording the maximum number of casualties at 39, according to official estimates released by the state government on May 11.
According to government data, livestock casualties are over 34 lakhs and over one crore sixty-five lakh people were adversely affected by Fani, which left a trail of destruction in Odisha. (ANI)