DIBRUGARH, Aug 26 - The standoff between the All Assam Mottock Yuba Chatra Parishad (AAMYCP) and St Luke�s Hospital, Chabua, one of the oldest charitable medical institutes of the region and subsequent disruptions in running the 50-bed hospital by the Mottock body over dismissal of one Satya Gohain, an accountant of the hospital, was put to rest after an amicable settlement was reached under the leadership of executive magistrate Manash Jyoti Nath.
The functioning of the charitable medical institute was badly affected in the last few days following a series of demonstrations, road blockades and even threats by All Assam Mottock Yuba Chatra Parishad in protest against the dismissal of Satya Gohian from the hospital. The hospital authorities had also lodged a complaint with the police against the protesting organisation for issuing life threats, demanding money, plot of land and carrying out false campaign against the institution.
The employee Satya Gohain was reportedly handed over the dismissal letter recently after he was found guilty of misconduct. As per the minutes recorded by the executive magistrate Gohain had tried to extract one day�s extra money from one of the guardians of a patient vide receipt No. 3813 dated 28/02/2018 whereas the office counter folio of the same receipt had the actual amount. It was found that the counter folio was prepared without using the copying (carbon) paper. On learning about the complaint, the employee in question returned the amount to the complainant. Invoking disciplinary proceedings, Gohain was served a show-cause notice, explanation was received, hearing was conducted and eventually he was asked to leave his job by the hospital management.
In the reconciliation meeting attended by PK Sonowal, Officer in Charge of Chabua PS, Jugal Baruah, president, All Assam Mottock Yuba Chatra Parishad, Devarikhi Chetia, assistant general secretary, All Assam Mottock Yuba Chatra Sanmilam, management of St Luke�s Hospital, Chabua and few others, the executive magistrate-cum-circle officer of Chabua revenue circle after hearing all the parties observed that the penalty meted out to Satya Gohian was maximum as there was provision for less harsher penalties. He requested the hospital authorities to relax the penalties considering his service over the years and on humanitarian grounds.
The hospital management officials said that there was a provision for appeal against the dismissal order before the secretary of the Health Board. The administrator of the hospital said that pending the outcome of the decision of the appellate authority, the employee in question will be allowed to work and the same will be communicated to the North East Frontier Regional Board of Health Services, a registered body of Diocese of North East India, Church of North India, having its headquarters in Shillong. The Mottock organisations also affirmed their cooperation with the hospital authorities in facilitating health service to the poor of the region and expressed regret for misbehaving with the hospital authorities.
Meanwhile, the All Adivasi Students� Association of Assam (AASAA) has expressed its gratitude to Manash Jyoti Nath, the Circle Officer of Chabua for resolving the issue. Lawrence Nag, Vice President, AASAA in a press release said that St Luke�s Hospital, Chabua has been serving the poor of all sections of the society particularly the communities living in tea gardens of the region at a nominal fee. As such no organisation must interfere and cause obstructions to the hospital as the medical institute is an asset to the people of the area. He also regretted that a section of the media reported allegations of the protestors without verifying facts. It was reported in the media that untrained and unqualified medical personnel were running the hospital.
