A startling case of administrative negligence came to light at Kolkata’s Swasthya Bhawan on Thursday after West Bengal Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee conducted a surprise inspection and discovered thousands of unopened letters and official documents lying unattended for years.

During his visit to the receiving and dispatch section on the ground floor, the minister found piles of letters and applications stacked in corners and beside tables, many coated in dust. The correspondence ranged from public grievances to official communications from various government departments, with some dating back nearly a decade.

Sources indicated that the situation had persisted for years without any meaningful intervention. Mukherjee personally examined several bundles and came across important documents that had never been opened or reviewed, including a letter sent in 2018 by the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) of Berhampore.

Minister expresses strong displeasure

Expressing sharp dissatisfaction, Mukherjee said, “There are letters here dating back to 2016 and 2018. Important government correspondence has remained unopened. This is unacceptable.” He added that staff members had informed him about the presence of even older documents gathering dust in the section.

Demanding accountability, the minister summoned the officer in charge and questioned the gross mismanagement. He directed that all pending letters be opened immediately and processed without delay.

Reiterating directives issued by the Chief Minister, Mukherjee stressed that every incoming letter must be acknowledged and responded to promptly. “Those who sent these letters may have lost hope by now, but the administration will act seriously from this point onward,” he said.

Steps to clear backlog and improve efficiency

The minister also instructed officials to recruit additional personnel if staff shortages were contributing to the backlog. Following his directives, the department began sorting the accumulated letters with immediate effect, treating the task with urgency.

The incident has raised serious questions about administrative efficiency and accountability within the health department, highlighting systemic lapses in handling public grievances and official communication.