TU Vice-chancellor (VC) Hira Bahadur Maharjan sent copies of two separate letters to the doctors later in the afternoon as per an agreement reached at a marathon meeting at IOM premises that ended after 9:30 P.M. Sunday. [break]
"One letter has directed Acting Assistant dean Dr Ratindra Nath Shrestha to take temporary charge after Dr Sayami´s leave commences from Monday," said Dr Govinda KC, who has been leading the protests.
VC Maharjan declined to comment if Dr Sayami had taken leave on his own or was forced to do so, while Dr Sayami could not be contacted by phone despite repeated attempts. "The other letter has asked the search committee formed to submit its report by July 4," Chairman of TU Teachers Association at Maharajgunj Campus Prof. Dinesh Binod Pokhrel added. TU had formed the search committee to select three merit-based candidates for the post of dean after Dr KC started a fast unto death on May 14.
The doctors, who are demanding merit-based recruitment to vacant posts at IOM and action against IOM officials implicated in a number of irregularities, had reached an agreement to wait till Monday afternoon for the sacking of Dr Sayami.
They had first halted paid-for services offered at the hospital in the afternoons from last Monday and then stopped even the cheaper afternoon services from Friday, affecting hundreds of patients. They were scheduled to halt all their services except emergency from Monday while Dr KC had announced a fast unto death if the demands were not met.
The search committee, that was given a three-week mandate, had written to VC Maharjan on June 1 seeking a term extension after being unable to complete its work due to continuous strikes that culminated with the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly on May 27. "I have received the letter from TU," acknowledged Coordinator of the three-member committee Prof. Aravinda Lal Bhumi.
But Prof. Bhumi has expressed doubt whether he can complete the task by July 4.
"Even an assistant professor is eligible for the post of dean, as per the TU Regulations for Organization and Educational Administration 2050, and we may not be able to complete collecting applications from all eligible candidates and evaluate them before recommending three of them for the post," he explained. "But we will try our best to complete the work within the stipulated time," he assured. The committee will make its selection on the basis of the four criteria--seniority, qualification, efficiency and vision--set out for them.
Six top positions at IOM including that of dean have remained vacant for the past eight months. The doctors have also been demanding action against IOM officials including Dr Sayami, who were implicated by the Jayaram Giri-led committee in several irregularities. The committee was formed after the 17-day TUTH strike in March 2010.
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