CONCERN & LESSON FROM ODD AND EVEN...

The odd & even formulae adopted by the Delhi state government is in the news as some people opposed it and filed a PIL in the SC against the same. While dismissing the petition, the Hon’ble SC refused to hear it urgently terming the petition as a publicity stunt. A SC Bench headed by the Chief Justice T. S. Thakur, who is himself car-pooling to court with fellow judges said, there is no urgency in the matter.

See the concern of the sitting judges, who neither asked for an exemption to the law for themselves nor asked to be given odd/even numbered official vehicles for attending the court !!

Austerity, as well as concern for the pollution being caused, the SC judges used their official positions to improve the image of the official machinery as well as raise their esteem in the eyes of the common man.

Now coming to our Department, gone are the days when the officers may have thought about sharing and car-pooling. Then the size of the Department was much smaller and only the head of the Department had an official vehicle, whether in the HQ or in the Division. Use of the vehicle was exclusively for office use only and after using the vehicle, they were so particular about filling in the timing, mileage & other details in the vehicle logbook. Gradually with the passage of time, as the number of posts and the size of the Department increased, the attitude, approach & behavior of the new breed of offices, which is only of accumulation & exclusivity, is directly opposite to that of their peers, .

The Inspectors & Superintendents, always being called as the pillar & backbone of the Department, have to share everything from table/chair to stationery items like staplers & pins, whereas, for the senior officers, not having to share any of their perks is considered as a status symbol !! The moment they join the Department, they start demanding for a toilet exclusively to be used for Grp-A officers, then for a vehicle of the latest brand & preferably one level higher than what they are eligible, then for a new computer for their use, even if the previous one is only one year old.

In the name of austerity, purchase of official vehicles are restricted and old vehicles becoming condemned, the drivers are sitting idle in the office. In the name of facilities, vehicles are hired under the 1% scheme, which are to be used for preventive operations and such. However, these are allotted and used by the Grp-A officers as their official vehicles, and they do not allow the same to be used for any other purpose by the office. The misuse is so rampant that during holidays, in a city like Mumbai, you will find these vehicle parked at malls, at tourist spots of the city, auditoriums, eateries or near stadiums if a match is going on.

For example, in Mumbai Central Excise Zone-I, II & Service Tax Zone, there are 61 vehicles hired under the 1% scheme (costing an average of Rs. 35k to 40k per month) and majority of the offices are held as additional charges. It is seen that even if an officer is not posted to a place, the vehicle allotted to that office is being used regularly, either for dropping the children to / from school, or by the officer’s spouse / maid / friends for purchase of vegetables / shopping etc. When both the husband & wife are working in the same Department and are holding additional charges, they use all the vehicles that are allotted to their charges as well as their additional charges.

When the Hon’ble FM is emphasizing on austerity measures being taken and reducing the Budget grants under all the heads of account, it only applies to the subordinate officers and it is ensured that there is no deduction in the perks & facilities of the Grp-A officers.

When the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India sacrifices his official car for a cause and is willing to attend court through car-pooling with fellow judges, our Grp-A officers are unwilling to even bring their own pens to office and demand for the best writing instruments at Govt. expense.

When our Hon’ble Chairman is known for his honesty, and the integrity of the all the Members of CBEC is above reproach, how is it that the same does not percolate to the lower echelons of the formations.

Is it possible that the Grp-A officers will learn something from the actions of the CJI and restrain themselves from mis-using govt. facilities or will it be water over a duck’s back….

CESA, Mumbai, salutes the spirit of the Hon’ble CJ of India and his fellow judges.

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