Govt Puts Bandipora Hospital MS on Notice After MLA’s Night Inspection

Bandipora, January 27: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has put In-Charge Medical Superintendent of Bandipora District Hospital on notice after Bandipora lawmaker found many sections of the hospital closed in the wee hours, asking him to explain his position within three days. 

The explanation has been sought by the Department of Health and Medical Education after lawmaker Nizamuddin Bhat made a surprise visit to the hospital on January 23 and streamed a live video on social media showing many wards closed, puncturing the claims made by the hospital administration about 24/7 services. Bhat claimed to have found many doctors absent.

“Whereas, a video surfaced online showing Nizamuddin Bhat, MLA, visiting District Hospital Bandipora on 23-01-2025 at night, and whereas several rooms were found locked, and many doctors were unavailable,” reads the explanation issued by the government, a copy of which is available with Kashmir Convener.

The government stated that this has raised serious concerns regarding hospital management during night hours and has directed the MS to explain his position within three days to enable further action.

The hospital administration had earlier claimed that several sections of the facility were functional 24/7. However, locals have dismissed these claims as mere publicity stunts, alleging that most departments shut down after 5 PM, leaving trainee health workers to manage the hospital’s affairs.

While talking to Kashmir Convener, locals said most of the departments remain closed after 5 PM, and the affairs are being managed by trainee health workers.

The In-Charge Medical Superintendent Dr. Masarat has remained in the news since his posting on New Year’s Eve as he has faced multiple allegations of corruption and administrative misconduct during his previous tenures in Bandipora as the BMO.

On December 29, the government transferred Dr. Masarat Iqbal Wani (Medical Officer, Block Lar) to District Hospital Bandipora as Medical Superintendent, as per Government Order No. 915-JK(HME) of 2024.

Dr. Masarat’s first tenure as In-Charge Block Medical Officer (BMO) Bandipora in 2018 was marred by allegations of embezzlement, misuse of resources, and illegal appointments.

According to official documents (a copy of which is available with Kashmir Convener), he was accused of withdrawing Rs 30,000 from the Hospital Development Fund (HDF) for unauthorized salaries and diverting Rs 50,168 from the HDF to a private service station without approval from the local MLA, who was the Chairman of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS).

He was also accused of consuming fuel worth Rs 1.5 lakh by using a hospital ambulance for his daily commute to his residence in Goshbug Pattan from Bandipora.

Notably, the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) attached him to the Directorate’s office following an inquiry but did not lodge any formal case. (The year of this incident has not been specified.) Then-local MLA Bandipora, Usman Majid, had directed the recovery of Rs 1.85 lakh from the accused for alleged violations.

In his second tenure in 2021 as BMO Bandipora, Dr. Masarat once again found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. On November 25, 2021, the BMO office was gutted in a mysterious fire that destroyed the service books of over 60 employees. Locals suspected the fire was a deliberate attempt to conceal evidence of illegal appointments, although these allegations were never independently verified.

Sources revealed that during the same tenure, the BMO office had a strained relationship with the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) office. Both offices exchanged allegations and counter-allegations regarding the procurement of medicines and oxygen concentrators, with each accusing the other of corruption. “This internal discord badly impacted the smooth functioning of healthcare services in Bandipora,” civil society members told Kashmir Convener. 

Dr. Masarat’s repeated controversies have cemented his reputation as a ‘controversial figure’ within the health department, especially in Bandipora, where both of his previous tenures were characterized by allegations of mismanagement and misconduct. This latest controversy, emerging within just a month, has further validated public apprehensions.