Promote 1,400 health workers as BHS: HC

CHENNAI:  The Madras High Court has directed the government to treat within two weeks, the health workers numbering about 1,400 in the State, as Health Inspectors Grade-I and give promotion to them as Block Health Supervisors from the date on which their juniors were promoted, with all consequential benefits.A division bench comprising Justices E Dharma Rao and Justice M Venugopal gave the direction to the Health Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan, who was present in the court on Friday, while passing interim orders on a contempt application. Originally, K Venkataramanan, M Elango of Salem and others filed writ petitions challenging clauses iv and v of paragraph six of a GO dated October 12, 2007 and prayed for a direction to the government to fix seniority on and from the date of integration as on August 1, 1997.Petitioners were posted as leprosy inspectors in 1987. On account of integration following the completion of the leprosy eradication project, their posts were re-designated or classified as health inspectors grade I-B. This was done on August 1, 1997. There was disparity in scales despite the fact that Inspectors Grade-IA and IB were discharging the same work. After repeated representations, the government re-fixed the salary equal to Grade IA, but it ordered it to take effect only from October 12, 2007. Contending that by this order, their seniority was sought to be interfered with, they moved the High Court and a division bench on July 23 last year quashed the order and held that the petitioners should be treated as health inspectors Grade-I and should be promoted to the post of BHSs. As this order was not implemented till date, petitioners filed a contempt application and the health secretary appeared before the court. The court directed him to implement the July 23 order within two weeks and to report to the court.