DERA GHAZI KHAN, Jan 17: The district health department has filled at least 270 vacancies against the health workers allegedly ignoring the local government’s approval.

Reports reaching here revealed the posts were advertised and the candidates interviewed in 2000. After a lapse of 13 months in 2002, the candidates were appointed by the health department without bringing the matter into the notice of the district Nazim.

Meanwhile, the district government had received many applications carrying complaints of violation of merit in age and marriage. They alleged the district health department took gratification from candidates for their appointments and urged the officials concerned to cancel the appointments.

When contacted, the deputy district health officer told Dawn that the candidates were interviewed in Oct 2000 under the aegis of an army monitoring team. He claimed shortage of books and other equipment halted immediate appointment of the selected candidates, adding the government had just provided the books and equipment for training the health workers and allowed to commence the session.

A district council’s representative, on the condition of anonymity, told this correspondent that the department was bound to consult the Nazim or Naib Nazim for the recruitment of health workers as they were authorized to do so after Aug 14, 2001.

When contacted, district Naib Nazim said the office was receiving applications condemning the recruitment of people.