Srinagar, Feb 27: Employees at Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla have accused the administration of favouritism in the allocation of staff accommodation” claiming quarters are unfairly given to selective employees, particularly storekeepers, ignoring deserving applicants.
In a complaint, employees said out of 26 storekeepers, half of them have been allotted residential quarters, even though some of them live just 50 km away, including those from Budgam.
They said the controversy erupted when a residential quarter became available after two junior staff nurses vacated the premises following their mutual transfer. “However, instead of being allotted to a long-waiting applicant, it was assigned to another storekeeper who had recently been transferred to the establishment section,” they alleged.
Employees allege that favouritism in accommodation allotment has been a recurring issue, particularly during the tenure of the former Principal, when four quarters were given to storekeepers working in the establishment section.
“Our jobs require us to be on duty as per our assignments, but since we are not in direct contact with the administration, we are being ignored for accommodation,” said an employee from south Kashmir.
The issue has particularly affected employees from the Jammu region, who claim they have been waiting for accommodation for the past three years. “We applied years ago, but our requests have been consistently ignored in favour of those working closely with the administration. This is injustice,” said an employee from Jammu.
The demand for accommodation at GMC Baramulla is high, with around 50 pending applications from various employees, including vocational counsellors, staff nurses, technicians, and multi-tasking staff (MTS).
However, despite the need, the latest available quarter has been again assigned to a storekeeper further fuelling resentment among other staff members.
A technician from one of the departments at GMC, who hails from a far-flung area of South Kashmir, 160 km away, expressed anger over the opaque allotment process.
“I applied for accommodation four years ago, but I am still waiting. There are rules and regulations governing the allotment process but GMC continues to violate them,” he said.
The employees have called for transparency in the accommodation allotment process and urged the administration to implement a fair and merit-based system that prioritizes those in genuine need rather than those with administrative connections.
Principal GMC Baramulla, Dr. Majid Jehangir, said he was unaware of the complaint regarding staff quarters allocation but assured that he would look into the matter. “The allotment is handled by the hostel in charge or the administrative officer,” he said.
However, Administrative Officer, GMC Baramulla, Rehana Kazmi, said the quarters were allotted to employees two to three years ago, and the medical college is currently facing a shortage of accommodation.
“A new quarter will be handed over to us on March 15, and it will be allotted accordingly. We will ensure that employees from Jammu are accommodated on priority,” she said.
Rehana said that employees from Kupwara and other distant areas have also been provided quarters, following a set allotment criteria. “Deserving employees should approach the Principal,” she said.
