Health workers collect blood samples in ward 42 of the SMC. Officials said 84 persons, of which 83 were P. falciparum cases, had tested positive in Siliguri between November 1 and 17. A Telegraph picture

Siliguri, Nov. 17: The chief medical officer of health, Darjeeling, has been transferred, ending the nine-year ?reign? of Tarak Nath Chattoraj as the head of health in the district.

The transfer order comes in the wake of the dismal malaria situation in Naxalbari block, where 40 persons have died of the disease since August, and the recent five-day visit of the director of health services Prabhakar Chatterjee to Siliguri and the region.

?Dr Chattoraj has been transferred as the zonal officer, malaria, with immediate effect. The order has been issued. Dr Subir Bhowmik, CMOH, South Dinajpur, will be taking over,? Chatterjee said when contacted in Calcutta today.

Asked whether the transfer was due to the handling of the malaria situation, the DHS replied: ?It is up to you to interpret it (the development).? Senior health department sources in the district, however, said the transfer at this juncture of the malaria debacle ?is a coincidence.? Chattoraj, who took over as CMOH in 1996, is among several other senior officials in north Bengal who are being transferred in a reshuffle being carried out by the department.

Dr S. Seal, Darjeeling district maternity and child health officer, is being transferred as CMOH, Cooch Behar, a post which has been vacant for almost the last six months. Dr Moloy Ghosh, deputy CMOH, Jalpaiguri, will be the new CMOH, South Dinajpur. Dr Santanu Haldar, additional DHS, epidemic and natural disaster control, is being appointed the new CMOH, North Dinajpur, replacing Tapan Das who will be the new principal of Rural Training Centre in Jalpaiguri.

In fact, Chattoraj?s transfer is being seen as a ?face-saving device? for the health department after it admitted to delays in the various aspects of tackling the malaria situation in Naxalbari. Cases are now being detected in Sukna and Siliguri town too.

However, health officials point out that holding a single person responsible for the malaria situation ?is not feasible?. Malaria control has to be a collective effort, the officials maintain.

Though Chattoraj?s transfer as zonal malaria officer in charge of the six north Bengal districts is at par with his present posting, the new post has less financial and other powers. ?I don?t mind the transfer. I am a loyal soldier of the government,? the outgoing CMOH said.