Barnala, Punjab: Dr Sahil Chhabra, a radiologist, had earned an MD seat on Punjab government quota and flouted the rules by not following the bond norms and has been directed by the Punjab government to deposit ₹50 lakh to government before resigning. As per the rules of Punjab government quota, a radiologist must either serve the department for 10 years or deposit ₹50 lakh before resigning.
Confirming the development, Barnala civil surgeon Dr Jasbir Aulakh said, “The doctor has deposited ₹25 lakh in the past week and has requested time till February next year to pay the remaining amount.” The civil surgeon said a radiologist, who completed his MD on Punjab government quota, joined the Barnala civil hospital in 2020. However, in 2021, he remained absent without informing the authorities. After a few months, the civil surgeon came to know that the doctor was running a diagnostic centre in Hansi town of Hisar in Haryana. A team was sent there to get documentary evidence of him running the centre. Following this, the civil surgeon got permission from the state health department to pursue a case of recovery of ₹50 lakh for violating the government bond.
It is after continuous perusal of the Barnala health department that the radiologist deposited half of the amount to the health department account this week. Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh had said last month that many specialist doctors had approached him to exempt them from the mandatory bond period, however, he refused to give such exemptions. Meanwhile, the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) Association, an association of government doctors, categorically insisted that the bond needs to be effectively rationalised. The association said the total bond money liability should be reduced in sync with the number of years served (after completion of the PG) in a phased manner.
