THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister Veena George has ordered an inquiry into an incident in which the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) Director Dr Rekha A Nair inaugurated a new cath lab facility without the minister’s knowledge. The probe will be led by Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rajan Khobragade, with a report expected within a week.

The incident, which unfolded on Thursday, triggered dramatic scenes at the RCC. Despite a directive from the minister’s office to defer the event, Dr Rekha went ahead with the inauguration at 9.30 am instead of the scheduled time at 10.30 am.

The Left employees’ union, which has been at odds with the director, removed the inauguration plaque bearing her name. Union members alleged that Dr Rekha was keen on placing the slab with her name before her retirement and she had hastened the event by an hour to prevent intervention by the minister’s office.

Later, the minister said she was unaware of the inauguration and it was unusual to conduct such informal inaugurations. The director said the facility was opened for the benefit of the patients. The director took the initiative to set up the lab at a cost of Rs 12 crore. The controversy comes at a time when a search committee has been formed to find a new director to replace Dr Rekha.