October 18, 2014, Economic Times Blog
Ever since the Railway Committee started its work, whenever people run into me, even if it is at a social occasion, they buttonhole me and offer suggestions about what should be done to improve the Railways. This is understandable and desirable, since it is a manifestation of interest in the Railways. Often, though not always, these are complaints about passenger amenities, or their lack, and suggestions about improving these. Passenger amenities are only one aspect of improving the Railways, though this is visible, and is representative of most citizen interface with the Railways. Toilets figure towards the top of any average complaint list, toilets in stations and toilets on trains. For the moment, let me confine myself to toilets on trains. As everyone knows, Indian trains began to function from 1853. But toilets on trains had to wait till 1909. There is an oft-quoted, and therefore somewhat clichéd letter, written by Okhil Chandra Sen to the Deputy Superintendent of Sahibganj in 1909, familiar to all those who know about Indian railway history. The original letter is in the National Railway Museum, Delhi. This led to the introduction of toilets on trains.
Here is that self-explanatory letter. “Dear Sir, I am arrive by passenger train Ahmedpur station and my belly is too much swelling with jackfruit. I am therefore went to privy. Just I doing the nuisance that guard making whistle blow for train to go off and I am running with LOTAH in one hand & DHOTI in the next when I am fall over & expose all my shocking to men & female women on platform. I am got leaved Ahmedpur station. This too much bad, if passenger go to make dung that dam guard not wait train minutes for him. I am therefor pray your honour to make big fine on that guard for public sake. Otherwise I am making big report to papers.” Sahibganj (in Jharkhand) has seen better days, from the Railway point of view. It is no longer on the Howrah-Delhi main line. Ahmedpur is in West Bengal and Mr Sen must have travelled along the Bardhman-Sainthia section of what is called the Sahibganj loop.
IR (Indian Railways) has around 50,000 passenger coaches, a little less than 50,000 if you exclude EMUs (electric multiple units), a little more than 50,000 if you include EMUs. So these have to be fitted with toilets, say 4 per coach. This blog is only about toilets, not about cleaning and maintaining them. If it’s a short-distance train, you might legitimately argue you don’t need 4 toilets per coach. 2 might do and you might make them even more basic than those required for long-distance. Traditionally, IR toilets have provided for water and the waste has been discharged onto tracks. That’s a terrible idea from the sanitation point of view, especially when on a train is at a station. Tracks are corroded and so are fittings on the under-carriages. Why can’t we have toilets on trains that are like those in the West? What about the West? In some places in the West, you have what are called controlled discharge toilets (CDTs). These store waste in tanks and discharge them when the train attains a minimum speed. Three problems with these. First, you are still discharging on tracks, which is what you want to avoid. Second, these require trains to attain a minimum speed. Sometimes, trains don’t pick up that minimum speed at all.
Alternatively, at the other end, when a station has a long platform, the discharge begins before the train has left the station. Third, CDTs don’t work well when people use water, as opposed to toilet paper. Hence, no CDTs, though they have been used on Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duranto. Almost 3000 coaches have actually been fitted with CDTs. Moving on, at best, on better trains (where people don’t use that much water), you can have tanks that don’t discharge, but have tanks that are cleaned. This is what happens with planes. However, with the large number of passengers who travel on trains, this won’t work except on short-distance trains, and those where people are unlikely to use water. Even if this were to be attempted, coaches need redesigning.
Therefore, IR has now veered around to bio-toilets, designed with DRDO collaboration. Bacteria decompose the waste. Some stuff is released as carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. Whatever is left is chlorinated and disinfected liquid that can be released onto the tracks. In tests, the effluent hasn’t had any toxic effects on rats and fish. Since 2011, almost 5,000 coaches have been fitted with these bio-toilets, on Express trains like GWL-BSB Bundelkhand, GHY-MAS Egmore, Indore-Gwalior, Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak, Jammu Tawi-Indore, NZM-Indore Malwa, NZM-Indore Intercity, Mumbai-BSB Mahanagri and Kochuveli-Bangalore. These are like trial runs, though you may not have noticed them. There is a decision that all new coaches will have bio-toilets, a decision that will effectively be implemented from 2016-17. Sounds good, but there are a couple of problems. First, for a new coach (with 4 toilets), bio-toilets cost Rs 3 lakhs per coach. But for an old coach, which has to be retroactively fitted, it costs Rs 15 lakhs per coach. Among other things, because these toilets add to weight, and ordinary coaches are heavily loaded, the weldings/mountings fail. The coaches have to cut open, so that these can be reinforced. Assuming you can spare the coaches, that’s quite a sum of money. But there is a decision that from 2021-22, all coaches will have bio-toilets.
The second problem is more serious. People stuff other things into toilets – polythene bags, sanitary napkins, diapers, bottles, pouches. These aren’t always bio-degradable. In those trial runs, one coach per train has come back with this kind of problem. Sure, there are waste-bins outside toilets. But passengers don’t always use them. For sanitary napkins/diapers, you can’t reasonably expect passengers to come out and use those bins. You need bins inside toilets, like aircraft. But bins inside toilets stink, unless they are regularly cleaned. Therefore, you realize the broad problem. There are multiple kinds of passenger segments. It’s one thing to lick a problem for a train that travels for no more than 24 hours (even easier for 8 hours). It is another thing to lick a problem for a train than travels for 72 hours.
Tag Archives: Second
Appeal for Justice -Dr. Rohidas Gopinath Taware Ex TO’B’, HEMRL, Pune
Modi ji make a separate department to handle DRDO’s cases, grievances, corruptions cases and lot of inputs are flowing to PMO
From:
Dr. Rohidas Gopinath Taware (Ex TO’B’, HEMRL,Pune) A- 11, Vijayraj Sankul,Near Medipoint Hospital, P. Road, Aundh, Pune- 411 007. M: 9423015022, Resi.: 020-2729888 Email : rohidas.taware@yahoo.com
To Date: 10th Dec. 2014 Hon’ble Shri. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister, Room No.152, PMO, South Block, New Delhi-110011.
Subject: ‘Appeal for Justice’.
Respected Sir,
Very humbly, I submit as under:
- I, Dr. Rohidas Gopinath Taware was working as a Group ‘A’ Gazetted officer with designation Technical Officer ‘B’ in High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune- 411021, DRDO, Ministry of Defence. My educational qualification is M.Sc., Ph.D., MBA, PGDEE (Post Graduate Diploma in Ecology and Environment). I have completed 27 years’ of satisfactory service in HEMRL. My entire service record is spotlessly clean.
I hail from a much respected family. My father was a Freedom Fighter and a brave soldier of Azad Hind Sena.
- I had submitted timely my grievances to Dr. A Subhananda Rao, Director, HEMRL, Pune regarding my harassment. But no cognizance was taken by him.
I made earnest ‘Appeal for Justice’ on 09.01.2008 to the Director of Personnel (DoP), DRDO, Ministry of Defence, New Delhi regarding my grievances along with supporting documents. I had written a letter on 04.05.2009 to DoP regarding my ‘Harassment by Ostracism’ in HEMRL, Pune. The DoP, too, did not take any cognizance of my grievances and harassment.
- Instead of considering the gravity of my grievances and harassment by ostracism, Dr. Arun Kumar, the Director of Personnel, all of a sudden, suspended me on 08.2009 by fax order. So, I lodged my protest on 26.08.2009 against the illegal suspension order issued by the DoP.
- There is a big conspiracy in DoP office of DRDO from my suspension to dismissal from the service. The Director, HEMRL gave false information to DoP that I was involved in “High-Handed Anti- Departmental Activities”, “the Laboratory has come to a stand still vulnerable position”, “the working of the Laboratory is badly dislocated” and “all officers are in demoralized state”.
The DoP office without any preliminary Inquiry proceeded against me and arranged for my suspension and further dismissal. Thus, the Director HEMRL and DoP joined hands against me and were bent upon to see that I was dismissed from service on 30.12.2010 for the reasons best known to them. The suspension to dismissal charges are not related to each other. Further, penalty of dismissal is horribly disproportionate to the charges leveled against me.
- The charges leveled against me for my dismissal like ‘tone and tenor of letter’ are trifling, false and fictitious.
- I wish to point out legal points regarding my suspension to dismissal which show that how the Principles of Natural Justice were blatantly violated.
- Two separate Memoranda, two separate Disciplinary Inquiries.
- Second Inquiry initiated for alleged misconduct during my suspension period when I was not on duty.
- Two separate Penalties simultaneously, First Minor & Second Major.
- Second penalty was awarded without cancelling first penalty.
- No revocation of suspension when first minor penalty was awarded.
- Second penalty of Dismissal awarded while under suspension.
- Both the penalties horribly disproportionate to the charges.
- All the orders from suspension to dismissal illegal. Approval from Rajya Raksha Mantri (RRM) taken instead of Raksha Mantri. Signatory to the orders not authorized under Art.77(2) of the Constitution.
- After dismissal order, I have done a lot of correspondence with the Competent Authority of DRDO for my illegal suspension, illegal punishments including my dismissal and for the settlement of Government dues i.e. rightful amount. But no cognizance was taken by them. This is also the intentionally harassment of me and my family.
- I had submitted ‘Appeal for Justice’ to the Competent Authority of the DRDO for my grievances and harassment. But instead of taking any cognizance, suitable action or giving any justice for the same, they have horribly punished me.
It means, ‘Asking for Justice is a Crime’ in DRDO! The Competent Authority of DRDO unnecessarily constrained me to file a various suits in the Hon’ble Courts for the Justice. After the dismissal order, I am jobless. I am highly qualified with 27 years well experienced officer from DRDO but disqualified for any service in the society because of my additional qualification is ‘Dismissal’ which was illegally and unauthorized awarded by the Competent Authority of DRDO. Hence, in all respect, this is very serious harassment and punishment for me.
- Sir, I have mentioned all the above irregularities and illegalities, involved in my suspension to dismissal, for your perusal please. I pray and request you to look in to the case and give me justice.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
Place: Pune
Date: 10.12.2014 (Dr. R G Taware) Pune
Encl.: Copies of Noting Sheets &Orders : 13 pages
(Suspension to Dismissal)
Copy to,
Hon’ble Shri. Manohar Parrikar, Defence Minister,Room No. 104, South Block,New Delhi -110011.
I am here. Headquarter is with me. He is support us – Dr A K Saxena, Director, DMSRDE, Kanpur
DR. A.K. SAXENA’S REACTION ON COMPLIANT TO CVC, DEFENCE MINISTER & DG R&D, DRDO on Subject: Complaint against Dr. A. K. Saxena, Director, DMSRDE, DRDO, Kanpur- 50 LIT HIGH TEMPERATURE MONEL REACTOR(COST:Rs. 74 lakh 25 thousand) dated 24 December 2013
New Year 2014 address by Dr. Arvind Kumar Saxena, Director, DMSRDE, Kanpur on 01 January 2014 among all officials of DMSRDE in Auditorium Hall
Speech was in Hinglish.
(Total length of clip is 36.02 minutes out of which this part is from 23:55 to 26:42) dr ak saxena’s speech part 1 (for audio click on high lighted words)
Two major question – one is Headquarter is with me. He is support us
Who is He – Sh Avinash Chander, Sh Bhujanga Rao or Dr.A K Singh?
Second is if reactor’s design is copy right of DMSRDE then what is meaning of M/s De Dietrich Process Systems India Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai mail which received by Dr A K Saxena via Mr Anish Gupta from M/s Manglam Traders with attached annexure
From: Anish Gupta mangalam26@bsnl.in
Date: Tue, Dec 6, 2011 at 6:54 PM
Subject: Offer for High Temp. Reaction Unit
To: AKSAXENA arvsaxena@gmail.com
“The line diagram attached is not exactly as per their offer, they have forwarded us understand it will be somehow like the same. As per our line of requirement they will send us in 2 to 3 days.”
Subsequently Dr. Saxena forwarded this mail to Sh JN Srivastava
From: arvind saxena arvsaxena@gmail.com
To: jn_sri@rediffmail.com
Subject: Fwd: Offer for High Temp. Reaction Unit
Dr. Saxena can you explain what does the meaning the following enclosed drawing of 50 Lt Reactor unit, is it your copy right or property of M/s De Dietrich Process Systems India Pvt. Ltd
DMSRDE’s official can judge themselves who is …………………………….
And everyone know that DRDO Hqrs is deaf & dumb
