Panaji: The Bombay high court on Monday sought responses from the state, health secretary, director of health services, department of personnel and Medha Salkar in a petition challenging the order giving her charge as director of health services.The petitioner, Saleena Naik, filed the petition stating that she is deputy director and the senior-most eligible officer, and was bypassed. Her advocate argued that Salkar was chief medical officer, a post which does not even fall under the prescribed feeder cadre of the director. He also argued that Salkar is about to retire.The high court recorded Salkar’s presence in court, and she sought time to engage an advocate.Advocate general Devidas Pangam told the court that the state wants to place on record an affidavit giving reasons why Naik cannot be kept in charge of DHS. He said she was in charge of Asilo hospital and had messed it up and had to be removed from there. He said the state wants to file an affidavit stating what the consequences will be if she is made head of department, and added that it’s a serious problem.
