Reporter’s diary: Discrimination rankles sanitary inspectors, workers

“Before Lok Sabha elections, the administration had transferred sanitary inspectors and sanitary officers who were working in the same place for more than three years. But they did not transfer additional health officers and assistant health officers, who had also completed three years. They are still in their old posts. This is not right,” a sanitary inspector complained.

The disgruntled sanitary inspector not only felt discriminated against, but he also raised concerns of appointing officials without requisite qualification at higher posts. He said that among the assistant health officers, only three officials have completed a diploma in public health conducted by the Directorate of Public Health. Remaining assistant health officers are MBBS doctors, who might not know law.

“Only officials who have completed DPH course are eligible to issue legal notices and take action as per the laws pertaining to public health,” he concerned. The inspector added that he is reluctant to approach city health officer and deputy commissioner (health) asking them to clear the anomalies “as they might take action against him”.

The inspector also complained that works ranging from maintaining Amma Canteens, plastics raids, enumerating people below the poverty line and others are dumped on them. “There should be more than 200 sanitary inspectors, now we are only 106 and other posts are vacant.”