LG Anil Baijal transfers Delhi health secretary, 13 other officers

New Delhi: Lt Governor Anil Baijal has transferred Health Secretary Chandraker Bharti, who has been at the loggerheads with the AAP government over several issues including a ban on Chinese manja and his "absence in key meetings".

Baijal also transferred-posted 13 other IAS officers, giving them new responsibilities in different departments in the Delhi government.

The order to this effect was issued by the services department yesterday.

The Lt Governor has appointed Bharti as the Secretary of Environment and Forest. Bharti, a 1996-batch IAS officer, earlier had an additional charge of this department.

Baijal has posted IAS officer Madhup Vyas, a 2000-batch IAS officer, as the new Health Secretary in the Delhi government. Vyas was awaiting posting.

Last August, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had demanded the then Lt Governor Najeeb Jung that he remove Bharti, who was then Environment Secretary, for a delay in issuing a notification banning Chinese manja. However, the demand was ignored.

In December as well, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Health Minister Satyendar Jain had slammed Bharti for allegedly refusing to go with the latter to LNJP Hospital following the report of a death allegedly due to negligence.

"There is a death in LNH due to negligence. I requested sec health to reach hospital with me. He refused to come saying unavailability of car," Jain had tweeted after the incident.

Jain had also accused the officer of not "attending the important meetings".

Other 13 IAS officers who have been transferred-posted by are Special Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Akash Mohapatra, Special Commissioner (Trade & Taxes) P R Meena, Secretary (Languages) N K Sharma.

Mohapatra and Meena have been posted as Special Commissioner (Trade & Taxes) and Special Secretary (PWD) respectively.

Sharma will now look after the charge of Special Secretary (Urban Development).