Irregularities & corruption goes unabated at SKIMS

Kashmir Age Report

Srinagar, Oct 21: Yet another scandal surfaced at the Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura Srinagar as the Head of the department, Hospital Administrative Dr. G H Yatoo took undue advantage of the situation during the Covid-19 pandemic & procured five times the requirement to get the commission for himself and the bosses there.
According to the sources, beds, lockers and other equipment were purchased for the institute for millions of rupees at exorbitant prices, putting state exchequer at great loss.
SKIMS commissioned a 50 bedded infectious disease ward which was inaugurated by Advisor B A Khan , but against the requirement of 50 beds they purchased more than 200 beds.
All the codal procedures were bypassed to favour their favorite vendor Al-Harm Engineering without tendering the same. Purchase committee of SKIMS appears to be misusing their authority in the garb of autonomous organization.
Though, there is a purchase sub-committee for the purchase and sale of goods and its rules and regulations are clear, but, the department has not spared a single minute in taking advantage of the current situation of Covid-19 and violating the rules and regulations.
The requisition of 70-80 beds with mattresses dated 29-04-2020 was inflated and an order of 200 beds was given to Al-Harm Engineering , a favorite vendor greasing the palms of SKIMS administration and working in convenience with one of the close relatives of Director SKIMS.
To cover up lakhs of commission 4% fine on the said supplier was imposed to camouflage the shoddy deal.
The details of the goods procured under Order No. SIM / 229 / HF / 2020-4155-60 do not in any way match the details of the SKIMS administration but are quite different.
An investigation is required as scams are going unabated day in and out & it is the high time that matter should be probed urgently to restore the faith of people in the investigating agencies.
Instead of the survival and stability of the institute, they are engaged in pursuing their own petty interests in everything, which is deteriorating the condition of the institute day by day.
Recently many social activists, political leaders, journalists and other respected members of the society have raised their voice on the deteriorating condition of once a premier institute.
To protect the institute from these vested interests the Lieutenant Governor & administration should take immediate concrete steps.