Digboi: A pharmacist at the Bogapani Tea Estate hospital in Assam’s Tinsukia district has resigned after allegations of irregularities in his educational and professional credentials surfaced during a verification exercise initiated by the management.
The controversy centres on Kameswar Kalita, who had been serving at the estate hospital since the mid-1990s. Official records accessed by this correspondent show that he was recruited when Bogapani Tea Estate was managed by Namdang Tea Co. (India) Ltd., before the estate later came under the management of MacLeod Russel India Ltd.
Documents indicate that Namdang Tea Co. issued Kalita an interview call letter on May 6, 1994, for the post of pharmacist and later appointed him as Pharmacist (Medical Grade-II) through a letter dated July 11, 1996, with retrospective effect from April 1, 1994.
According to sources, the issue came to light after the management received a written complaint alleging discrepancies in Kalita’s credentials. A senior hospital official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that a verification exercise had been initiated.
“The registration number submitted earlier as that of a rural pharmacist does not match the registration number presently being claimed,” the official said, adding that the inquiry is still underway.
Sources said the management is also verifying a purported Diploma in Pharmacy certificate allegedly issued by the Institute of Pharmacy, Narakasur Hill, Guwahati, along with other documents submitted during the recruitment process.
When contacted, Kalita acknowledged that questions had been raised regarding his educational credentials and confirmed that he had resigned. He said he chose to step down before the management or authorities initiated legal action.
Confirming the resignation, the Deputy Manager of Bogapani Tea Estate said the management is awaiting the report of the plantation’s Medical Inspector before deciding its next course of action. He said the report is expected within the next couple of days and declined to comment further, citing the ongoing verification process.
Meanwhile, the Dibrugarh district unit of the Assam Registered Pharmacists’ Association (ARPA) has written to the Senior Manager of Bogapani Tea Estate, urging the management to verify the educational qualifications, registration status and professional credentials of all three pharmacists serving at the hospital. The association stressed that only duly qualified and legally registered pharmacists should be allowed to dispense medicines and provide pharmaceutical services.
Sources also said representatives of the Assam Pharmacy Council are likely to visit the tea estate within the next few days to examine the registration status and professional credentials of pharmacists attached to the hospital, although no official confirmation had been received from the Council at the time of filing this report.
No FIR had been lodged by the tea estate management in connection with the matter till the filing of this report. An official response from MacLeod Russel India Ltd. on the allegations and the future course of action is awaited.