PATNA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and actress Priyanka Chopra have visited primary health centres in Bihar’s Arwal district for RT-PCR test and Covid-19 vaccination!
Don’t be surprised. The list of those whose RT-PCR test was conducted in this south Bihar district contained the names of other VIPs as well. However, it is altogether a different matter that they have been shown to be residents of different villages under Puran panchayat of Karpi block in Maoist-affected Arwal district.
Arwal district magistrate J Priyadarshini on Monday ordered a detailed investigation. “This is a very serious matter and I have ordered to lodge an FIR against the erring employees for the lapses on their part,” she said.
The DM revealed that the contract of two data entry operators posted at the additional primary health centre in Shahar Telpa and the community health centre in Karpi has been terminated.
The DM also ordered a review of the list of beneficiaries of the test conducted at other primary health centres as well. “How such a glaring negligence took place is subject to investigation. This can’t happen only at the lower level,” she said.
Though the irregularities were detected on October 27, the matter remained under wraps for over two months.
Sources said the mistakes came to light when the data entry operators were removed two days back. One of the operators, Vinay Kumar said, “I was pressured by the health manager and others to make entries of the beneficiaries without proper names and addresses. This has been done at the behest of the health manager concerned.”
“No person by the names of Narendra Modi or Amit Shah were found at Puran or Dorha villages as mentioned in the list of beneficiaries,” said an investigating officer.
Surprisingly, all top officers of the state health department were tightlipped. Even Health Minister Mandal Pandey avoided phone calls.
‘VIP NUMBERS’ BELONGED TO LOCALS
The mobile number mentioned in the name of Narendra Modi was found to be that of a resident of Buxar district. Similarly, the ‘mobile number’ of Priyanka Chopra was in the possession of a resident of Parasi village in Arwal district