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DRDO lab up in arms against scientist’s transfer

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The employees of the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), which is regarded as one of the most distinguished labs of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), are up in arms against what they have called arbitrary transfer.

By ABHINANDAN MISHRA | New Delhi | 28 January, 2018 Sunday Guardian

The employees of the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), which is regarded as one of the most distinguished labs of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), are up in arms against what they have called arbitrary transfer of a scientist who last year was named the “best lab scientist of DRDO”.

According to ADE officials, the said scientist, who has been working with the DRDO for 30 years, is being victimised for not agreeing with his seniors who wanted materials for a project to be procured from a particular company, despite the said company not matching the requirements of the project.

On 16 January 2018, on the ground of “public interest”, A.P.V.S. Prasad, “scientist-G”, who was made the project director of the coveted RUSTOM-II UAV programme of the DRDO in 2015, was moved out of the ADE to another DRDO lab in Bangalore without any notice and without taking the permission from his director.

However, official sources said that Prasad was being pressurised to give his permission to procure products for the UAV programme from a company whose product did not match the requirements of the project and when he did not relent, he was transferred.

Prasad has been credited with making sure that the much delayed India’s UAV programme got the needed push. Within two years of Prasad taking over the project, RUSTOM-II completed its maiden flight, earning him the best DRDO scientist award in 2017. An angry employees’ union of the ADE has now approached Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to intervene in the matter. Speaking to The Sunday Guardian, S. Narayanappa, who is president of the ADE civilian employees’ union, said that discriminatory transfers like this affect the morale of the scientists.

“I have been trying to speak to Dr S. Christopher (chairman of DRDO) on this issue but he is not taking my calls or responding to our messages. It was due to this that we were forced to approach the Defence Minister directly. Prasad is a very capable scientist which is clear from the work that he has done. His transfer, without taking even his director into confidence, is shocking. We are still awaiting a response from the Defence Minister. You can just imagine the kind of damage these kinds of things do to an official’s morale. He was offered multiple employment opportunities from various private corporate entities to head their division but he rejected them all,” Narayanappa said.

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Bio-toilet choked with complaints

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By Pradip R Sagar | Published: 28th October 2017 The Sunday Standard
NEW DELHI: Forget about missiles or battle tanks, the country’s premier defence research agency DRDO’s bio-toilets are getting blocked with major glitches. Indian Railways, the toilets’ main user, is getting hundreds of daily complaints from passengers from its 17 zones, and its top officials can’t find a solution.

Dr Y Ashok Babu, a senior microbiologist who was part of the E-loo project, has questioned the technology used and has written to the Defence Minister and Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). He claims the imported bacteria worked perfectly well in the laboratory but not in Siachen, for which a solar panel heating system was added to accelerate the ‘digestion’ process. He says the bio-toilets, which are nothing but gobar gas plants, involve no technology and can be built by a village mason. He claims that officials conspired with some vendors to fool people; they just added bacteria from Antarctica, which is available in cow and buffalo dung.

A senior Railway official involved in the procurement of the bio-toilets from DRDO said, “Nowhere in the world are such toilets used in rail coaches except in India.” In response to an RTI, Railways authorities revealed no study was carried out before installing the toilets in coaches. “These toilets are not approved by UIC (international union of railways) or any other Railways Standard Organisation,” he said.
Claiming to be a ‘big failure’, Railways officials said 95 per cent of these toilets are faulty. The Railways planned to install 2.5 lakh toilets in all coaches by October 2, 2019.

The bio-toilets were invented by Gwalior-based Defence

Research and Development Establishment (DRDE) and Tezpur-based Defence Research Laboratory (DRL) to decompose biological waste generated by soldiers in high-altitude regions such as Siachen and Ladakh in 2012. After the Ministry for Rural Development—which spent Rs 1,000 crore for the project—the Railways has become its biggest user. The DRDO has made the transfer of technology agreement with 56 companies, which are producing bio-toilets at a cost of Rs 15,000 to Rs 75 lakh. DRDO officials refused to comment when contacted.

Loo-se ends

Indian Railways, the toilets’ main user, gets hundreds of daily complaints from passengers
Railways officials said
95 per cent of these toilets are faulty
Railways planned to install 2.5 lakh toilets in all coaches by October 2, 2019

The project cost Rs 1,000 cr
E-loo uses anaerobic microbial bacteria to decompose and convert biological human excreta into usable water and gasses

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Bio-toilet Issues

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Posted by: Clean India Journal – Editor May 10, 2016 in News

Having received a number of complaints on non-functioning of installed bio-toilets like choking of pipes, improper ventilation in toilet, incursion of non-biodegradable materials, use of excessive acid, usage of more people than the prescribed limit, bio-toilets remained unutilized for more than six months required seeding with fresh bacteria and so on, DRDO has rectified all the problems and the same has been updated to all the concerned channels. This was informed by the Defence Minister, Manohar Panikkar in Parliament.
The IR recently allotted Rs195 crore for the current fiscal as part of a larger Rs2,450 crore plan to install 40,000 toilets in 24,500 coaches, spending Rs10 lakh for each coach.

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Hon’ble Defence Minister is helpless in front of DRDO for continued deliberate harassment of Whistle Blower against constitutional provision

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Even  the present Hon’ble Defence Minister  is helpless in stopping the continued deliberate harassment meted out to the Whistle Blower of DRDO (acknowledged by the then Defence Minister) by the top management of DRDO HQ New Delhi & by his present Director of Delhi based lab of DRDO, MOD through the following acts & omissions.

  • Harassment meted out by DRDO HQ, New Delhi                                     
  • By non implementation of the advice of CVC issued vide CVC OM No 24571/2016/vigilance-9  19-04-2016 , O M No conf/6807/16/315999 dated  30-05-201  & O M No conf/1750/09/3201 dated  15-07-2016  to restore the posting of the whistle blower to LASTEC, Delhi even disregarding the  formal representation dated  16-06-2017 submitted by the whistle blower of DRDO in this regard to the present Secretary, DDR&D.                                       
  • By non conveying  of the  decision of the Hon’ble Defence Minister ( obtained from him by deliberately misleading him distorting the material facts) to the complainant whistle blower on his complaint/ representation dated 28-12-2015 submitted to the then Hon’ble Defence Minister to get implemented the decision of para 03 (three) of MOD decision conveyed to DRDO HQ vide MOD ID no PC to 470/ DO (Vig)/ 2012 dated 19-10-2015 against  22 prima facie guilty officials of DRDO who trumped up false charges & committed a number of irregularities with single minded objective of harassing the whistle blower  through their ibid mala fide actions.
  • By non communicating the decision of the Hon’ble Defence Minister, decision of the present secretary,  DDR&D,   decision of present DG (ECS),  decision of Shri V  P Dutta, the then Scientist ‘G’ of DEAL, Dehradun  &  Chairman & decision of Shri   A K Pandey    Scientist ‘F’ OF IRDE, Dehradun &  member of the committee appointed  vide DG ( ECS) order No DG ECS /ADM/12538/LASTEC/2015/PS   dated 13-01-2016 on through proper channel representation dated 18-03-2016 of the whisle blower of DRDO submitted to the then DG (ECS) of DRDO HQ &  copies also endorsed to Hon’ble Defence Minister  & all the above mentioned authorities of DRDO for  taking remedial actions.
  • By hatching a conspiracy to ultimately post  the whistle blower  in a  wing of a Delhi based lab of DRDO situated 15 kms away from the main LAB  where there is no  basic infrastructural  facilities & absolutely no work for the whistle blower in his sphere of duties where the the whistle blower  has been suffering unbearable miseries. This was done after doing the drama of taking the option of choice posting to LASTEC, Delhi from the whistle blower. 
  • By not processing & not redressing his any of the genuine service matter grievances on one or the other illegal pretexts submitted by the whistle blower of DRDO during the tenure of present Secretary, DDR&D.
  • By illegally getting rejected the issues raised in the pre litigation conciliation representation dated 26-11-2015 of the whistle blower of DRDO through the  false Recommendations of the  committed pre litigation conciliation committee Headed by Shri Sushil kumar Verma, Director, Cyber security & Scientist ‘G’ of DRDO HQ  prepared  by deliberately overlooking & ignoring the contents of the pre litigation conciliation representation dated 26-11-2015 of the whistle blower  & other letters submitted  by the whistle blower to Shri Verma.
  • The issues raised in the pre litigation conciliation representation dated 26-11-2015 of the whistle blower were finally rejected by the present Secretary, DDR&D By deliberately ignoring the material facts based on the record of DRDO & MOD  contained in the through proper channel representation dated 28-04-2017 submitted to the present Secretary, DDR&D.
  • BY rejecting  most urgent & most immediate through proper channel representation dated 28-09-2015  of the whistle blower of DRDO submitted to the secretary, DDR&D   in most arbitrary manner directly violating the standing provisions of grievance redressal policy of both Govt. of India & DRDO, MOD.
  • By not deciding through proper channel representation dated 29-01-2016 of the whistle blower of DRDO submitted to the secretary, DDR&D pertaining to deliberate illegalities committed in DRDO HQ continuously affecting adversely to the whistle blower of DRDO even till to date.                                                               
  • By not deciding & not communicating the final outcome of 02 (two) complaints of vigilance nature dated 04-07-2016 & dated 11-07-2016  to the whistle blower of DRDO even up to now submitted by the whistle blower of DRDO  to the present Cabinet secretary to the Govt. of India & to the Hon’ble prime minister of India  respectively which reached in DRDO HQ in 2016 itself for taking appropriate actions on the same.
  • Harassment meted out to the Whistle Blower of DRDO by present director of the Whistle Blower
  • By hatching a conspiracy to post the whistle blower of DRDO in one wing of the concerned Delhi based lab of DRDO Situated 15 kms from the main lab where there was no work for the whistle blower even  when whistle blower of DRDO was the senior most officer of the Admin cadre posted in that    Delhi based  main lab of DRDO to make him professionally obsolete..
  • By hatching a conspiracy not to nominate  the whistle blower of DRDO  in 2016 for the training programmes even run by govt. agencies free of cost directly  related & essential for enhancing the acumen of the whistle blower of DRDO in the sphere of his charter of duties as senior administrative officer , Grade –I  of Admin Cadre of DRDO, MOD.
  • By hatching a conspiracy by getting  Arbitrarily rejected  04  nominations  of  of the whistle blower of DRDO  pertaining to short term training programmes of the duration of one week or less period   to be conducted during the period from July 2017 to December 2017  by the Govt training Institute namely by ISTM, New Delhi free of cost directly  related & essential for enhancing the acumen of the whistle blower of DRDO in the sphere of his charter of duties as Senior Administrative Officer , Grade –I  of Admin Cadre of DRDO, MOD through  the  initial decisions dated 13-07-2017 of his immediate sub-ordinate scientist “G’ Shri Raju Agarwal without   any cogent grounds & thereafter he himself approved such arbitrary decisions to harass the whistle blower of DRDO .  
  • By not ensuring processing any of the service matter grievances of the whistle blower of DRDO with due diligence & giving full opportunity to the concerned officials to adopt dilatory tactics in processing the service matter grievances of the whistle blower of DRDO, New Delhi.
  • By compelling the whistle blower of DRDO to exclusively limit his charter of duties to open & close the one wing of the Delhi based lab of DRDO in which he has been posted.
  • BY Removing the whistle blower of DRDO from the hitherto duties of officer in-charge              (assigned to him on 23-08-2016) of the one wing of the Delhi  based lab of DRDO  vide order dated 25-07-2017 leaving him without any work & compelling the the whistle blower of DRDO holding the functional designation of senior Group ‘A’ Gazetted post of  Senior Administrative Officer , Grade –I  of Admin Cadre of DRDO, MOD to report to  one in situ promoted Scientist ‘D’ of DRDO who does not any competence to do any value addition in administrative work of the said wing & who  even insulted the whistle blower in the presence of his all junior  on 25-07-2017 on  official telephone saying that the whistle blower does not have any authority in  the said wing of the said Delhi based lab DRDO because we scientists can do anything to the whistle blower which seems to be true also considering the above mentioned acts & omissions by one of the senior scientist of DRDO holding the designation of scientist ‘H’ &  Director of the Delhi based lab in which the whistle blower is posted Who was  dare enough to conduct the illegal meetings of internal screening committee main for assessment of Scientists ‘Fs’ of DRDO  for assessing their suitability for the posts of Scientist ‘G’ under promotion quota  IN 2011 even before inception of the amendments in the concerned statutory nature of recruitment rules of Scientist ‘G’ in DRDO  while holding the appointment of Director , RAC, New Delhi thereby incurring the financial loss to the tune of 14 lakhs to the public exchequer for which some investigation has also been ordered by the DRDO/MOD ,still he does not hesitate to  continue harassing the whistle blower of DRDO.
  • By making Payments of the arrears of 7th CPC to the whistle blower of DRDO only in April 2017 whereas all other officials of DRDO got their arrears of 7th CPC in 2016
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Extension for Nirbhay, panel to identify flaws

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By Hemant Kumar Rout | Express News Service | Published: 07th January 2017
BHUBANESWAR: India’s own cruise missile project Nirbhay has got an extension of 18 months amid speculations over the weapon system’s operational capabilities. Launched in 2004, the projected date of completion for the prestigious project was December 31 last.

At a recent review meeting, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar gave green signal for the extension. Ministry of Defence sources said the Nirbhay team has been asked to deliver their best by June, 2018.

Under developmental trial since 2013, the missile is yet to perform as per the expectations. Of four tests in as many years, the indigenously developed weapon had failed three times though it could cover the intended range once in 2014.

Meanwhile, an independent technical committee has been formed to identify faults in the system that led to failure of the missile during its fourth trial on December 21.

The probe committee led by founder director of ISRO Inertial Systems Unit Dr Nagarajan Vedachalam will not only ascertain the faults but also recommend possible measures to make the system robust.

Like in its maiden trial and third test, the missile had veered off the trajectory minutes after take off during the last launch and the mission had to be aborted mid-air.

An official associated with the project, however, informed that the blame game between two laboratories of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) cost the project more than the faults in the system.

While Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), which has designed the missile, has been blaming Research Centre Imarat (RCI) for supplying defective hardware, the latter points fingers at ADE-developed software for recurring failure of the missile.

‘’The probe committee will ascertain which is defective, the software or hardware. It may also inspect metallurgical deficiencies,’’ the sources said.

Having a strike range of around 1,000 km, Nirbhay is first homegrown subsonic cruise missile project. According to DRDO, the missile can challenge weapons of its class.

Nirbhay blasts off like a rocket and unlike a missile, it turns into a vehicle akin an aircraft. Flying at tree-top level, it can deceive enemy radars making it difficult to be detected. Unlike other ballistic missiles, this cruise missile has wings and distinct tail fins. After reaching near the target area, it can hover around, hitting at its will from any direction.

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Only Modi Ji or GOD help to Indian Citizen for getting RTI reply from DRDO

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To,                                                                                           3rd January 2017

Shri Manohar Parrikar,

Defence Minister, Room No -104

South Block, New Delhi-110011

Sir, every citizen in India very well know that DRDO is under second schedule of RTI Act 2005 and exempted but in corruption and human right DRDO is not exempted in any case. See the enclose RTI Reply from our prestigious organisation, they totally denied to furnish the information and ignored the enclosed evidences the real time photographs and details. The vehicle vanished after RTI, the all records are with Central Command but it feels that our jawans are made for exploitation. We can not close our eyes when these great jawans are exploited by these DRDO corrupt scientists. This means they are above the constitutional provision of India or they are patronized by super corrupt officials. Now as a ministry of defence head you will give direction to DRDO to furnished the information and stop using ARMY jawans as Bonded Labours by these so called scientists who are not even doing any science.

or may GOD will help us

Regards

Prabhu Dandriyal,

21-Sunderwala, Raipur, Dehradun-248008

Phone 0135-2787750, Mobile 9411114879

Email prabhudoon@gmail.com website-www.corruptionindrdo.com

Dadagiri of DRDO Scientist

Enclosed – Photographs as proof of corruption

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Parrikar Walks Tightrope on DRDO Transfer

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Oct 18 2016 : The Economic Times (Delhi)et-18-oct

Manohar Parrikar had to intervene to sort out a transfer case of a DRDO technician, after 2 BJP leaders took differing sides in the marital row, reports Manu Pubby.

Caught in Tussle Between BJP Leaders, Parrikar Walks Tightrope on Transfer

Manu Pubby, New Delhi:

SORTING OUT A TRANSFER CASE It appears to be a long-standing marital dispute
Minister finds time after surgical strikes to counsel DRDO technician

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar had to find time out of a busy schedule just two days after the surgical strikes into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to sort out a transfer case involving a junior technician, after two BJP leaders took differing sides in what appears to be a long-standing marital dispute.
Parrikar, who was in Dehradun on October 1, met the junior technician -Subodh Kumar -who works with the Defence Research and Development Organisation at the Jolly Grant airport, counselling him to take up the transfer.

The reason for the defence minister to get involved is a tussle between two BJP leaders.

18-oct-et-2While one side has been in touch with the defence ministry to post Kumar out from Dehradun to Kanpur, the other side has sent representations to Parrikar to stall the transfer, citing ill health of his parents and the condition of his disabled brother.

Former Uttarakhand chief minister and Member of Parliament Ramesh Pokhriyal `Nishank’ wrote to Parrikar in September, asking him to stall the posting on the request of Kumar’s parents.On the other side is the BJP’s rep resentative from Saharanpur, Raghav Lakhanpal, who Kumar says has been in touch with the ministry to get him posted out.

“There has been pressure from Mr Lakhanpal who is known to my wife’s family to get me posted out. But my side of the story was never heard, I was asked to report to Kanpur with an assurance that I will be posted back soon,“ Subodh Kumar told ET.

The defence ministry did not respond to a detailed questionnaire sent by ET and despite repeated efforts Raghav Lakhanpal did not offer any comments. Letters and meeting records accessed by ET reveal that Manohar Parrikar is walking a tightrope in the case.On her part, the wife has alleged in her representation to the ministry that Kumar was abusive and was troubling her for the past year.et-18-oct-16

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Files reveal links between Agusta, Embraer deals

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By Ashish Singh | NEW DELHI | 18 September, 2016 – The Sunday Guardian
ashish-embraer-story-edited-1The DRDO was not on board with the IAF over selection of the Embraer aircraft.
ashish-embraer-story-edited-2The CBI has registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) against unknown Ministry of Defence officials to probe the Embraer aircraft deal scam, in less than 12 hours after this correspondent revealed on NewsX the minutes of four meetings held in December 2006 to finalise the aircraft for the AEW&C project.

This correspondent has revealed that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was not on board with the Indian Air Force under then Air Force chief S.P. Tyagi over the selection of Embraer aircraft.

PE is the very initial measure taken by the CBI to examine any case before lodging a First Information Report (FIR) against suspected persons.

The CBI told this correspondent that “CBI has registered a PE (preliminary enquiry) against unknown officials of the Ministry of Defence (GOI) and others. This on a reference from the said Ministry on allegations related to M/s. Embraer employing an agent to facilitate various contracts. These include the contract for AEW&C project wioth CABS/DRDO for procurement of 3 aircraft”.

This correspondent has accessed the key 10-page documents that form part of the “Embraer files” that are being investigated by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate. The documents contain the minutes of the four meetings held in December 2006 to finalise the aircraft for the AEW&C project.

In the first of the four meetings, held at Air Headquarter, New Delhi on 5 December 2006, the documents suggest, then Programme Director (AEW&C) Dr S. Christopher (who is currently the DRDO chief) had proposed two alternative options with different configuration and endurance for the aircraft as a platform for this project. He also pointed out that better options will be available with the change of aircraft. But the Air Force under S.P. Tyagi overruled Christopher’s arguments and stated that the DRDO will work with Embraer, the world’s third largest aircraft manufacturer that is now under the scanner of the US and Brazilian authorities for alleged kickbacks.

The Embraer files accessed by this correspondent reveal that four meetings had taken place on 5,6, 8 and 19 December 2006 among the Air Force officers, DRDO officials and the scientific adviser to the then Defence Minister, A.K. Antony.

“Dr. Christopher brought out that better options will be available with change of aircraft. The Chairman (the then Deputy Chief of Air Staff) stated that we need to work with EMB-145 and develop a prototype with the configuration that CABS will formulate and send to IAF for consideration”, stated the minutes that are available with this correspondent.

The minutes further state: “The Programme Director, AEW&C stated that CABS has proposed two options with different configuration and endurance. DCAS asked him to submit a clear proposal of what can be achieved with a 24T aircraft.”

The Defence Ministry is also expected to seek information from Brazil and the US through Indian defence attachés deployed in Indian embassies in the two countries.

According to the Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo, Embraer had allegedly engaged a UK-based defence middleman and paid him kickbacks in order to ink the deal with India. Media reports further alleged that Embraer officials had paid commissions to middlemen in order to finalise similar deals in Saudi Arabia. The US Justice Department has been scrutinising Embraer’s deal with India.

The newspaper report claimed that the Brazil based company came under the US scanner after the US Justice Department smelled a rat in 2010 following the former’s contract with the Dominican Republic.

In 2008, a $208 million deal with Embraer was signed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) for three ERJ-145 aircraft to build indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems for the Indian Air Force. The three aircraft were to serve as an air-borne radar system known as airborne early-warning and control systems or AEWCS for the Indian Air Force.

Significantly, the Embraer deal reminds one of the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scam due to the many similarities. Both Embraer and Augusta deals were inked when S.P. Tyagi was the Air Force chief and A.K. Antony was the Defence Minister.

Both deals were cleared between 2008 and 2010 despite alternative options being available. In both deals, UK based middlemen and aircraft company officials are allegedly involved.

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Government asks CBI to probe in allegations of corruption in purchase of three Embraer aircrafts

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By Express News Service Published: 15th September 2016 – The New Indian Express
NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has started analyzing allegations of Brazilian aviation major Embraer hiring a UK-based agent and paying commissions to swing the $208 million deal for three Emb-145 aircraft inked with India during UPA rule in 2008.

The government had asked the agency to probe in allegations of corruption in the purchase of three Embraer aircraft for Defence Research and Development Organisation in 2008

The agency sources said officials are going through the reference and any decision to start a probe in the matter will be taken soon after analysing all the documents.

If the agency is satisfied that it has enough prima facie evidence to initiate an FIR, it will start or else it might register a preliminary enquiry to gather enough material for registering a regular case, they said.

Government had stated that the allegations were of a serious nature and the CBI will probe.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had earlier this week said that, “If there is a criminal angle, then the CBI will probe as the Ministry cannot”. “If only procedural issues are involved, then the Defence Ministry can do an internal investigation,” he had said.

The deal for purchase of three Embraer aircraft during the UPA regime has kicked up dust with US authorities going into alleged payment of kickbacks. The deal has come under the scanner of the US Justice Department which has been probing Embraer for alleged payment of bribes to secure contracts.
Soon after, the reports of irregularity surfaced, the DRDO has already sought a report from the Brazilian firm, which has said it has been looking into graft allegations over the last five years.

DRDO investigation through report from Brazilian firm is a separate investigation. Parallel investigation has been started by CBI

The Special Investigation Team probing AgustaWestland bribery scandal will also probe this scam.

The deal was signed in 2008 between Embraer and the DRDO for three aircraft equipped with indigenous radars for AEW&C (airborne early warning and control systems). The first “modified” aircraft was delivered to DRDO in 2011, with the other two following later.

After several missed deadlines, the AEW&C project is now slated to be completed by December. Present DRDO chief S Christopher was the AEW&C programme director and head of the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) before he was chosen to head DRDO in May 2015 by the NDA government.

Sources claimed that role of the committee, comprised of officials from IAF and DRDO is also under scanner, which shortlisted the Embraer deal.

Brazil’s top newspaper, the ‘Folha de Sao Paulo’, had reported on September 8 that the possible bribery in the 2008 Indian deal was under the scanner of the US justice department, which has been investigating Embraer since 2010, after a contract with the Dominican Republic raised suspicion. The scope of the investigation has now been widened to examine Embraer’s dealings with eight other countries, including India and Saudi Arabia.

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DRDO sets timeline for fixing grievances to discourage direct complaint to PM Modi

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By Pradip R. Sagar 14 September 2016 The New Indian Express
modi_afp-14-sept-16

NEW DELHI: As scientists involved in defence research continue to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with their grievances, DRDO headquarters has asked all its department heads to take timely action on these complaints to avoid direct communication with PM or Defence minister.

Following series of complaints, the DRDO’s vigilance department has now fixed a deadline to complete probe into any grievance within in ten days of receipt of complaint.

Days after assuming office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked government officials to give their suggestions directly to his office. But, within months, the PMO’s desk handling grievances was flooded with hundreds of representations. To address complaints, Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha, in August 2015 issued an instruction that writing directly to the PMO by violating the prescribed channel of communication has to be viewed ‘seriously’ and is liable for ‘disciplinary action’.

But, despite strict instructions from the Cabinet Secretariat, several scientists have been continuously approaching prime minister’s office and defence minister.

“In absence of appropriate action to be taken on such complaints, the complainant addresses his grievances to various authorities including the Raksha Mantri (defence minister) and Prime Minister’s Office,” according to an stinker from the vigilance department head of the DRDO, Dr. JP Singh, Director, Vigilance and security writes..

“It has been noted with concern that neither any timely action is taken by the head of Clusters or establishment on complaints which are addressed to them, nor any action taken report is forwarded by them headquarters,”

Vigilance department believe that because of in-action by concerned Clusters or Establishments in the DRDO, ‘copious correspondence among various government agencies take place as all the complaints were processed as per extant of guidelines of the DoPT.

“All heads of Clusters/ Laboratories/ Establishments and Units are requested to take timely action on complaint directly addressed to them and forward Action Taken Report to the Chief Comptroller with ten days of the receipt of complaint,” Dr. JP Singh, Director, Vigilance and security writes.

Citing a Cabinet Secretary note on official communication channel, the DRDO headquarters in August last year, had issued detailed instructions to all its laboratories for strict compliance regarding representations being sent directly to higher authorities bypassing the prescribed channel of communication.14-sept-16-the-new-indian-express