By Express News Service Published: 23rd August 2014 09:05 AM
BALASORE: The much-touted bio-toilets are lying defunct in Bhadrak district for over a year as technical details of construction of the toilets are neither available with District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) nor its State counterpart.
The bio-toilets were installed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on a pilot basis in Dhamara and Basudevpur of the coastal district which houses India’s strategic missile test facility at Wheeler Island.
Sources said of 12 such loos set up in 2012, only three are in working condition now. While eight bio-toilets, dubbed as E-loos, were installed in villages, four were set up in Basudevpur NAC area. The toilets were constructed for community use at Jayadurgapatna, Amarnagar, Dhamara, KK Pur and Mandari.
The villagers alleged that the toilets lack water supply and proper ventilation. “The toilets lack adequate space for use and do not have ventilation ducts. The toilets were used only for a few days after installation and most of them are lying in an abandoned state now,” said a local, Gouranga Panda.
The residents claimed that the bio-toilets were not user-friendly. While the excreta was not getting flushed out, the water supply was irregular. Later, the doors of the toilets were damaged.
The units were so small that people felt suffocated inside. As foul smell started emanating from the toilets gradually, people stopped using them. Surprisingly, the district administration has turned a blind eye to the issue, they alleged.
Deputy Secretary of Rural Development (RD) Department Subash Chandra Das said the Department was unable to repair the bio-toilets as it did not have technical details.
Though the DWSM and Bhadrak Collector have asked the DRDO authorities to make these toilets operational as well as supply technical details, there has been no response yet.
With the toilets lying defunct, around 1,020 families are forced to go for open defecation. Of those families in four villages except Mandari, who depend on the bio-toilets, only 170 have individual household latrines (IHHLs). Mandari comes under Basudevpur NAC where four bio-toilets were constructed.
Das said the BDOs of Chandabali and Basudevpur and Executive Officer of Basudevpur NAC have been instructed through the Collector to issue work orders for construction of IHHLs in these villages.
By Hemant Kumar Rout – BALASORE/BHADRAK Published: 14th August 2012 11:45 AM
Union Minister for Rural Development, Drinking Water and Sanitation Jairam Rameshs’s ‘India Dream’ to free the country – the rural populace in particular – from open defecation, seems to have faced a setback with people unwilling to use DRDO made Bio-toilets raising a stink.
Villagers have blamed the DRDO for poor quality installation work near Dhamarai temple as one portion of the toilet has depressed and its fiber body disfigured. Express photo.
After launching the bio-digesters in Odisha’s Dhamra village, close to Wheeler Island from where India test fires its all long range missiles, the Minister on June 24 even called it no less important than the Agni missiles. Today, the bio-toilets stand abandoned. The villages are reluctant to use it claiming that they lack required facilities.
The e-age toilets were formally launched at a glittering function by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) at Dhamra in Bhadrak district.
The toilets are so small and air-tight that a person feels suffocated after a few minutes. There is no system for air circulation, says villagers. PTI photo
While initially at least six bio-toilets, christened as eco-friendly loo (ELoo) were installed in five villages in Dhamra and Basudevpur areas, the DRDO had assured to install more such toilets along the 90-km Jamjhadi-Dhamra stretch. Though the DRDO claimed that these toilets were opened for public use after their successful trials in Siachen and Jammu and Kashmir, people here are not ready to buy it.
Malati Majhi, a villager from Dhamra said the toilet installed in the village lacks water supply and proper ventilation. “It does not have a window or a space for ventilation. As the inside area is inadequate, it is difficult to sit there. The toilet was used only for a couple of days after their installation. We don’t use it now for its stinking smell,” she said.
The Minister too had expressed his dissatisfaction over the lack of ventilation facilities in these toilets during the inauguration. The loos are so small and air-tight that a person feels suffocated after a few minutes. There is no system for air circulation as these are fully covered with fiber body.
The technology used to develop the bio-toilets is anaerobic processing system that treats excreta, typically with small volumes of flush water. This is usually a better process than the aerobic decomposition, which requires supply of oxygen either as compressed air or by agitation and process culminates into water and CO2.
The Bio-digester technology has been developed by Gwalior based Defence Research and Development Establishment (DRDE) and Tezpur based Defence Research Laboratory (DRL) which claimed the ELoos can effectively function in extreme conditions and temperature ranging from – 6 degree C to 50 degree C.
As per the claims of the DRDO, there is a bio-digester underneath where the temperature is maintained at 5 to 30 degree Celsius and the Psychrophile bacteria break down the waste. There is no foul smell, disease-carrying organisms or solid matter. The bio-gas is released into the air continuously and the residual liquid can be drained without any ill effect.
A local Bikartan Behera said no such degradation is done here. “Every time bad smell is coming out from the toilet making it unviable for use. People have to carry water from a faraway place to use the toilet, which is not possible always. The facilitator needs to equip the toilet with water supply,” he said.
The villagers also have blamed the DRDO for poor quality installation work near Dhamarai temple as one portion of the toilet has depressed and its fiber body disfigured. A retired defence employee N K Sahu said the bio-toilets were first tried between 1993 and 1998. However, systems failed because of foul smell, breeding of cockroaches and flies, maintenance requirement, need for daily addition of bio-enzymes.
“But now though the DRDO claims to have used the bacteria Psychrophile in the toilets, but the loos should be made user friendly with spaces for ventilation and round-the-clock water supply. Or else it would be left unused,” he said.
Local defence officials though admitted the shortcomings in these toilets, but none agreed to comment on it. They said all the problems would be sorted out soon and more toilets installed in the area to curb the habit of open defecation.
To 23 April 2015 Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister, PMO, Room No 152 South Block , New Delhi-110011
SUBJECT:- Misuse of Public Money by making Temporary Duty for personal work or visit native place to meet family member by Dr. Vijay Veer, Director, DRL, DRDO, Tezpur.
Sir,
The office of PCDA (R&D) is public authority under purview of RTI Act 2005 and this office is having own independent CPIO and First Appellate Authority. PCDA (R&D) is not an exempted organisation under section 24 of RTI Act 2005, despite the CPIO, PCDA (R&D) deliberately denying the information related to Establishment Matters of DRDO officials like tour details, LTC details, procurement related information etc just to cover up the corrupt practices of DRDO officials. The main objective of PCDA (R&D) should be to minimise the corruption and save the public money.
In my several RTI’s , CPIO, PCDA(R&D) either denied the information under section 24 of the RTI Act 2005 or transferred the RTI’s to DRDO under section 6(3) of RTI Act 2005, which is unethical practice to promote corruption and non-transparency in the Government System.
Therefore, RTI for CPIO, PCDA (R&D) through PMO with kind request to give order to PCDA (R&D) to follow RTI Act 2005 with true & proper sprit and provide information by strictly following the provisions of RTI Act 2005.
PMO may explore tour details of Dr. Vijay Veer from 01 March 2012 to 31 March 2015 to verify Director misusing official powers for personal gain.
Regards
Prabhu Dandriyal,
21-Sunderwala, Raipur, Dehradun
To 23 April 2015 Smt. Kavita Garg, IDAS, CPIO, PCDA (R&D), West Block-V, R K PURAM,NEW DELHI- 110066
Madam, Kindly provide me with the following information requested under the purview of the Right to Information Act, 2005 in respect of tour details of Dr. Vijay Veer, Director,DRL, Tezpur from 01 March 2012 to 31 March 2015. .
Copies of all official tour programs from 01 March 2012 to 31 March 2015.
Copies of all the movement orders for his all tour from 01 March 2012 to 31 March 2015.
The details of flying points in specified performa prescribed by LAO, New Delhi.
The information sought is pertaining to allegations of corruption as such not exempted under section 24 of RTI Act 2005.
Dr. Vijay Veer assumed the charge of Director of DRL, Tezpur on 01 March 2012. His wife Dr. Neena Chauhan is serving as Scientist E at Forest Research Institute, Dehradun since beginning of her carrier.
Dr. Vijay Veer is having three immovable properties at Dehradun and his native place is Dehradun.
In Tezpur it was observed that Dr. Vijay Veer is signing his tour program himself while in any other Establishment/Lab of DRDO, Director’s tour programs are signed by CAO/SAO-I/AO/Account Officer.
He is not submitting joining report after tour along with confirmation on Movement Order that he visited to the place for which he made Temporary Duty. Frequent TD resulted, R&D activities of the DRL has been badly suffered. The administration is in bad shape, various CAT cases is the proof DRL scenario.
Surprisingly, Dr. Vijay Veer was on TD even during the marriage & reception of his son at Dehradun in May 2013.
To 12th April 2015 Hon’ble Shri Manohar Parrikar, Defence Minister,Room No -104, South Block,New Delhi-110011
Subject: Intimation about deliberate illegal acts and omissions done in DRDO.
Sir, Please find following informations about the intentional unlawful acts and omissions made in DRDO, MOD
Shri Krishan Kumar and Shri J B Singh retired joint Directors of AFHQ Cadre of the o/o JS (T) & CAO, MOD have been appointed as consultants in the ADA, Bangalore (an autonomous body under the administrative control of DRDO, MOD.) soon after their retirement on superannuation for the regular official work of ADA Bangalore and they have been illegally posted in the very sensitive establishment of DRDO i.e. RAC, Delhi. these two (02) consultants are used illegally to attend the court cases at CAT Delhi & High Court of Delhi filed by regular employees of the DRDO like court case of retired Scientist ’G’ Shri Virender Kumar of DEAL Dehradun. These consultants even illegally screen the applications of direct recruitments of scientist in DRDO & in such screening no meticulous screening is carried out by these consultants resulting selection of ineligible & relatives of senior scientist of DRDO as a quid –pro-que. Moreover there is imminent danger of favoritism and leakage of confidential and sensitive documents/information of RAC Delhi.
Shri S T Rajan & Shri R Natrajan retired joint Directors of AFHQ Cadre of the o/o JS (T) & CAO, MOD have been appointed as consultants in the program office of DRDO HQ New Delhi in the missiles program for carrying out routine works for which already their relievers in the form of regular employees have been posted in DRDO HQ. these retired GOVT. servants are also appointed against the vacancies of ADA Bangalore and posted in DRDO HQ New Delhi. they don’t belong to scientific or technical cadre. There is imminent danger of the leakage of the sensitive informations at their level.
Shri V K Shrama retired joint Directors of AFHQ Cadre of the o/o JS (T) & CAO, MOD has been appointed as consultants in the o/o DOP, DRDO HQ New Delhi with the approval of the then defence minister of GOI by misrepresentation & distortion of the material facts particularly with regard to the actual need of hiring him as consultant. His services have been utilized for the assignments for which he has not been appointed. There is imminent danger of leakage of the sensitive information.
Dr. A K Singh, present DOP of DRDO HQ New Delhi has played an active role in illegal extension of the periods of consultancy and in new engagements of consultancies of the retired GOVT. servants which he carried out with deliberate misrepresentation and distortion of the material facts submitted to the various senior authorities of DRDO, MOD & to the defence minister.
Shri A K Singh present DOP of DRDO HQ New Delhi did not take any initiative to suspend Shri G Malakondiah, the then CC R&D (HR of DRDO HQ) for his conviction in a contempt of court case of the high court of the judicature of Chennai on 24-sept-2014 although this conviction news came in almost all the important daily newspapers including Hindusthan times New Delhi edition. No convicted person can be retained in GOVT. service even for a single day if the news of his conviction comes to the notice of the concerned public authority through formal or informal channel. The stay granted to Shri Malakondiah on 26-09-2014 by the apex court was restricted to the implementation of the imprisonment and not his conviction. The convicted person was deliberately allowed an opportunity to influence the witnesses and to tamper, mend, amend, destroy, replace & concealment of the concerned documents against the public interest due to lake of devotion to duty and possession of doubtful integrity of the concerned officials of the DRDO HQ New Delhi.
the number of retired officials of DRDO, AFHQ Cadre appointed as consultants, directly violating the rules of consultancy, for the regular work of DRDO has reached to the alarming point where regular employees are considering illegal interference of the consultants in their regular sphere of duties and are also feeling frustrated and de-motivated which is playing havoc on the output of the DRDO as an organization.
I hope that some appropriate concrete action would be taken against the concerned guilty officers of DRDO & all Deviations and distortions would be set right in the national interest.
To 29th March 2105 Sh Manohar Parrikar, Defence Minister, Room No 104, South Block, New Delhi -110011
Subject: Dr A K Gupta, Ex Director, IRDE helped in Backdoor Entry of Scientists in IRDE, DRDO, Dehradun
Sir, DRDO having unlimited example of manipulations in recruitments of scientists because of RAC. In beginning of 2000 when Dr W Selvamurty managed the post of CC R&D (HR) inspite of life sciences man which is not the core of DRDO. He create all nonsense in HR, promotions/postings/ recruitments are become business in DRDO.
The result was DRDO involved in lot of court cases till date DRDO paying his all mischiefs and his groomed scientists are sitting in various important posts and carrying all manipulations like Dr A K Singh, DOP and Dr R K Jain, Director, RAC. The chelas of Dr W Selvamurty squeeze DRDO in all means these adventures were sensed by ex defence minister and recommended CBI inquiry and advice recruitment of scientists should again given to UPSC.
Sir, in your reply of question No 789 in Loksabha that DRDO having shortage of more than 1200 scientists. It is wrong input supplied by DRDO in each and every lab more than 30% scientists are involved in admin allied work means almost 1800, the best part is that for financial benefits they shows the scientific contribution and it is totally false it can be verified anytime.
Sir, lot of scientists are not having work of their expertise and they are posted only for satisfaction of ego of Directors,DGs, DOP etc.
The following enclosed letter is received by website and forwarding you to investigate the truth behind the inputs.
To 20th February 2015
Hon’ble
Shri Manohar Parrikar,
Defence Minister,
Min. of Defence, Room No -104, South Block
New Delhi-110011
SUBJECT
Request for assign scientific work to DR. A.K. SINGH, DIRECTOR, Dte of Personnel (DOP), DRDO HQ so that he could not influence the probe and temper the evidences and not able to protect DRDO’s corrupt officials and also not able to support corrupt DRDO Directors to harass the whistle blowers.
Honourable Sir,
It is requested to sake of DRDO image, productivity, to save money to curtailing in court cases, to protect honest scientists and whistle blowers please reshuffle immediately the DRDO scientists who are involved in non scientific assignments since 10 -15 years and main reason of DRDO’s current non productive image. These incompetent scientists are great example of exemplary carrier growth without doing science in DRDO. Dr. A.K. Singh, Director, Dte of Personnel (DOP), DRDO HQ case is on the top, Dr R K Jain who is the boss of Scientists recruitment centre master mind of pushing all incompetent scientists on the top and country facing tremendous loss in respect of technology development, in respect of wastage in money and he was enjoyed his three consequent out staying promotion without doing science.
Sir, if you ask young real scientists, not incompetent ones, who come through LDCE will certainly going to pin point these two great scientists the main reason behind the downfall of DRDO.
The DRDO is great organisation in term of HR qualification enhancement. There are hundreds of examples where someone joined DRDO as peon/security guard or casual labour or Technician and within five to 10 years year span he become Technical Officer or in some cases scientists.
If you enquire DRDO regarding this kind of example of fake qualifications you will found thousands of degree diploma cases from unrecognised centre without doing study only managed. This is the major reason of DRDO’s corruption, nepotism and above all degradation of DRDO HR quality.
On 15th February 2015 DRDO, RAC conducted the limited departmental examination for scientist ‘B’ post for DRDO’s employees, you will find more than 90% cases candidates not having properly UGC or ACETE or DCE approved degrees. The certificates they enclosed are from recognised universities or institutes but the process of acquiring degrees are totally not recognised as per UGC norms.
And best part is that these two duos (Dr A K Singh & Dr. R K Jain) are the key persons to organise the game plan the application format was designed such a way that the degree acquiring process not able to revealed the ineligibility of candidate..
But interestingly till date they have not found single case only with the help of RTI four high profile cases were exposed resulted two scientists job was annulled and two are under process and Ex Defence Minister approved for CBI inquiry on 14th October 2013 and also given approval for reconsider the DRDO recruitments through UPSC,
Sir, if government is serious about to revamp DRDO and make it productive worth organisation than first thing scarp RAC & CEPTAM immediately. These two bodies are engaged almost more than 25 scientists and number of technical manpower. Both establishments are den of corruption and nepotism. Because of these two establishments DRDO getting third grade manpower.
Main evidence of these establishments working screens the recruitments and promotions and court cases and RTIs which are sufficient to justify the above statement.
I have filed following complaints against Dr. A.K. Singh, Director, Dte of Personnel (DOP), DRDO HQ.
DM letter table 20 feb
In this connection I got Letter No. DVS/02/2053/P/63 dated 12 Feb 2015 from Dte of Vigilance & Security, DRDO, Min. of Defence, DRDO Bhawan, Rajaji Marg, New Delhi for confirmation to my complaint dated 14 Nov 2014 to Hon’ble Defence Minister (mentioned at sr. no. 4 above). Copy enclosed as Annexure-1 and I sent the confirmation vide letter dated 20 Feb 2015. Copy enclosed as Annexure-2.
Sir, on 25 March 2014 the Supreme Court of India told N. Srinivasan to step down as BCCI president so that a fair investigation may be conducted. The court found it “nauseating” that he should hold on to the post despite various courts censuring him.
On 27th November,2014 the Supreme Court said that N Srinivasan’s conflict of interest was “obvious” as he also owned a team i.e. CSK in the IPL. The court also asked BCCI if it was open to have fresh polls for a new board without N Srinivasan.
Accordingly Mr. N.Srinivasan announced that he was stepping aside from the post of President of the BCCI until the probe was completed ostensibly.
[CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4235 OF 2014 with CIVIL APPEAL NO.4236 OF 2014 and SLP (C) No.34228 of 2014 , Supreme Court Of India]
In the light of the above facts stated above, I kindly request that for fair probe on complaints against Dr. A.K. Singh, Director, DOP, and request assigned him some other scientific assignment as per his credentials so that he could not influence the probe and temper the evidences. Because he always boast up that his father was great police officer and that’s why I have able to retain bungalow at 14-B, Mother Teresa Crescent, New Delhi-110011 along with ministers. He also protects corrupt DRDO officials and supports them in lodging false FIR against the whistle blowers.
As Dr. A.K. Singh, Director (Personnel), DRDO HQ, New Delhi using his position to harass number of DRDO scientists like
Dr Gausal Azam Kahn, Sc ‘D’, DIPAS on the demand of his sister Dr Sahshi Bala Singh, Director, DIPAS He cooked false charge sheet against him who was joined DRDO direct Scientist D in DRDO NRI scheme,
Sh N P Gupta, Sc ‘C’, DMSRDE a computer science background scientist thrown to Life Science Lab, DRL, Tezpur just because to protect corrupt Dr A K Saxena, Director, DMSRDE,
Sh D Muthuraja, Scientist E was shunted to ACME Nashik without work as he did complaint against the wrong deeds of Sh Guruprasad, Director, R&D Eng. of making Rath in R&D premises without any fear and wasted precious poor tax payers money and DRDO manpower (two parliamentarian already raised question in zero hour on 18th December 2014)
As per sources you might be received answer from Sh Guru Parsad , Director, R&D Eng., DRDO, Pune the bullock story “making of Rath was not just devotional activity but also interesting technical task. Apart from saving bullock burden”
On last August DRDO award ceremony our Prime Minister mentioned to DRDO scientist please do something to reduce weight of our soldiers uniform like light weight shoes etc. That time our PM not aware of DRDO’s kind hearted scientists who already spent 5 corers Rs to saving bullock burden.
Dr A K Singh gave his all administrative supports to harass above scientists, Sir there are 100 of cases available their Dr A K Singh supporting Lab directors in ACR/APAR cases, promotions cases specially in minorities etc, Sir, It is requested please ask the total amount spend by DRDO in various court cases like CATs/District Courts/High courts and Supreme Court in Dr A K Singh tenure it is self explanatory of his administrative capability and degrading HR quality and image of DRDO.
Monday, 22 December 2014 – 7:10am IST | Place: New Delhi | Agency: dna New Delhi: India’s premier defence research organisation – Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) – is under Parliament scanner.
Shoddy research, inordinate delays, corruption and its fancy for reverse engineering have resulted in the Parliamentary standing committee on defence raising the red flag on DRDO budget for 2014-15.
According to documents accessed by dna, the committee has nailed DRDO on several occasions. It has asked DRDO to furnish details on how many new models, weapon systems and engines have been imported in the last 10 years in the name of study and modifications. “DRDO labs are more interested in importing systems, modifying them a little bit, re-labelling them and reselling them to forces,” the panel observed.
Of the 31-member committee, four members have defence background. “Where do you think DRDO stands in our military hardware preparedness vis-à-vis China today?” the committee said. It also asked DRDO to disclose those areas of technology where they are not competitive or behind the curve.
“There is a perception that DRDO is not really fulfilling its role; it is only doing normal non-commercial office work. DRDO should work out what is required by the services… futuristic and does not get outdated before it is introduced into services. People are expecting something extraordinary from DRDO, something out-of-the-box,” it said.dna began its investigations in August this year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised DRDO during an address in Kargil.
“If a project was conceived in 1992, it should not be the case in 2014 we are still saying it will take some more time,” he had said. India, he said, has the potential to be a world leader in defence sector, but was being held back by a chalta hai attitude.
In the last 10 years, the DRDO budget has increased from Rs 3,443.18 crore to Rs 10,868.89 crore (around three times). However, it has completed/closed only 13 projects costing Rs 134.08 crore in 2013 14, while it got 52 new projects, costing Rs 1,651.59 crore from January 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014.
“DRDO’s mandate is to develop products and technologies to modernise our armed forces. It has shown a list of products developed by them. Please also furnish a list of technologies developed,” the committee said.
DRDO’s annual report says that, as on March 31, 2014, it was handling 339 projects costing approximately Rs 45,554.73 crore. Out of these, 37 projects cost above Rs 100 crore, and, in total, account for Rs 38,613.89 crore. This is approximately 85% of active project costs.
DRDO scientists are among the best paid in India. They get incentives like two additional increments on promotion, up to six variable increments on promotions granted on fast track, professional update allowance, opportunity to acquire higher qualifications at reputed institutes and residential complexes.
The committee also asked DRDO about its research on a Gujarat-based Sadhu, Prahlad Jani, who has been living on air. He does not eat and drink. A research on him was carried out in 2003 and 2010 and the committee asked if the outcome can be used in warfare.
Talking to dna, a committee member said on condition of anonymity: “DRDO is doing shoddy research and some parliamentarians seem to be encouraging it by asking how outcomes could be used in warfare. Are you going to deprive Indian soldiers food and water in harsh conditions like extreme heat and cold? It’s disgusting.”
“This is not the only example. Recently, in Pune, they developed a hi-tech chariot to be donated to a temple. Is it what they are supposed to do?” he said.
“There are also a number of irregularities like an institute director buying a Honda CRV for personal use from the institute’s budget, although that car was not fit for that terrain.
“A building construction project worth crores was given to National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) without proper tendering. There are also complaints of misbehaviour and harassment of officials and purchase of expensive tickets from Nagpur, home district of one DRDO institute director,” he said.
DRDO blames it on defence services, finance officers
DRDO has its own woes. They range from lack of testing facilities to infrastructure to shortage of funds to impractical demands of defence services. Another big reason is the rejection of DRDO technologies by defence services, terming them “inferior”, and their ‘preference’ for imported technologies.
A top DRDO official in Delhi said, “Top defence people visit international exhibitions and defence machinery manufacturers where they see the latest technologies. They collect brochures and after coming back, they shortlist good technologies from various options available, amalgamate them and ask DRDO to develop a product or technology. They don’t even bother to study the feasibility of their demands in context with the resources with us. That is one major reason for delay in aircraft and engines.”
“What they see in these exhibitions is imported technology where countries like the US, Russia and France have in-house raw materials building and manufacturing facilities. In India, we have to import even small components. This is one reason for the delay and increase in project costs,” he said.
Bikram Vohra -Dec 02 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)
Sycophancy actually has classic Greek antecedents which makes sense because it is a classic act. The first sycophants were those who reported to the courts in ancient Greece about who was doing what to whom largely without proof… nothing much has changed since then and our army of lick spittle and belly crawlers have refined it to a science and an art.
In fact, with this capability being of the essence for survival it is pretty much on the cards that one day very soon it will be a post graduate course in a good university . You see, sycophancy or toadying up to the boss is a highly functional option to hard work and industry because bosses love it. Endless flattery to keep the ego swollen, gales of laughter to accompany frightful jokes, sprays of praise drenching the CEO, the more blatant the better. Even the bosses who pretend to have the intellect to ‘see through it’ enjoy the fantail of fawning Uriah Heeps who act as a backdrop for them. And it is not just about politicians, it is across the board.
Having done much research on this cadre and the potential it has for success, promotion and tangible perks I have divided the tribe into five categories which you may recognise or actually belong to without realising it.
THE OFFICE BUTT KISSER
He is unctuous, cloying in his shameless praise of the superior’s ideas, always grovelling and nodding his head in premature agreement, willingly rendering space, scuttling about doing the big man’s bidding, and bowing and scraping like a windshield wiper, all of it wrapped up in servile body language and that throat catching gasp of awe in his voice: sshh, the CEO is on his way . Like Thor was coming down from Olympus.
THE GREAT POLITICIAN AND PRETENDER
He spends his life networking and, like a crazed bee, flitting from flower to flower picking up pollen laced with malice.Dangerous to those who cross him his only aim is to have the chief ‘s ear and retain it.This he manages by snitching, sneaking, backstabbing and other such genial exercises camouflaged with a thin patina of friendliness as he shoves the knife in. For some reason the top bosses depend on him for the dirt that shores up their inherent insecurity so he becomes indispensable.
THE ERRAND BOY
He manipulates the boss through the family. Sir I brought five kilos of rice from our own farm. Pedas from Mathura. Fresh gur from his uncle’s factory.
Does madam’s shop ping. Takes the kids for tennis. Drops visiting relatives to the airport, takes them sightseeing. Fetch and carry , a sort of ADC cum flunky who then wins back favours by making the cut every time there is the 5 o’clock HR letter moment.He is just too vital to the boss’s comfort zone to be sacked.Ergo, he crawls up the ladder.
THE UNTIRING OVER WORKER
This is the cleverest guy of the lot. He creates this great charade doing nothing. Comes early , goes late, attends office on Sundays and holidays, makes sure the boss does see him grinding away , writes copycat reports, creates power points and spiral bound idiot scenarios with equal dexterity to show he is a company man but the moment there is real tasking he falls sick or passes the hot little buck down the line.
THE PROFESSIONAL APPLE POLISHER
Slick as hair gel. Smart but lazy , he uses guile and style and smoke and mirrors to conceal his major flaw….complete lack of talent. Dresses like the boss, takes up golf if the chief plays golf, bridge if that’s his game, learns to lose deliberately , goes to the right places, power dresses, acts and plays the role and becomes a sort of dressed-up lackey whose presence pleases the top guy .
Until the falling at your feet, Sir, is just his way of pulling the rug because you have outlived your usefulness and there is a new boss on the way .Then our friend will be at the airport with a bouquet to receive him.
TIME TO TACKLE THE GREAT INDIAN CHAMCHA
Ever encountered The Great Indian Chamcha? His greasy tentacles are spread across all strata of public life. We see him most often in politics, lauding the unimaginable, flattering for favour, defying self-respect and logic. In offices, he will invariably be the one singing a boss’s praises and ending sentences with “sir jee“.So set your wits at work and tell us about your encounter with the chamcha. Upload funny photos, videos, cartoons, jokes and any other rib-tickling material around the chamcha on facebook.com Great Indian Circus or twitter.com The Great Indian using the hashtag #TheGreatIndianChamcha.
The best, funniest entries will get a chance to feature in The Times of India and will also stand a chance to win exciting prizes. So, what are you waiting for sir jee?
It should disturb us all gravely that a motorised battery-powered chariot is the level of “technology” the DRDO feels proud to pass on. 25-11-2014 SHIV AROOR @shivaroor
I love this story. Everything about it numbs the brain. What I love best about it is that nobody could have made this up: An Indian military laboratory tucked away in a leafy Pune neighbourhood, tasked with building combat support vehicles, has built and supplied a gleaming battery-powered rath to the grateful Alandi Temple nearby. Correct. A chariot. For a temple. You see what I mean? Can’t make this stuff up.
Details sometimes kill a great story. In this case, they really crank up the W-T-F value.
The story emerged on the front pages of the New Indian Express which reported that the rath was built at a cost of Rs five crore and “donated” to the temple. The laboratory reportedly explained that the work was done as “seva” and that a scientist who apparently blew the whistle on what he felt was a totally improper use of public money and laboratory resources, was shunted and buried in a lower profile role in Nashik. The clincher now, the NIE report says, is that the Bombay High Court has stepped in and ordered the DRDO and MoD to explain what this rath business is all about. I know nothing beyond what’s been reported, so I decided to poke around. When I called a DRDO spokesperson asking him what the fuss was about, he fobbed me off. “It was done as seva. What is wrong if some military research helps some civilian cause also?” he asked. Well, plenty, I thought, but decided to sit on it. Let’s see just how farcical this can get. Other than a little hilarity and outrage on Twitter, the story hasn’t turned too many people on. That may change if the DRDO decides to officially comment.
First off, only an idiot would hope to find any justification at all for a public-funded combat vehicle research lab spending any resources (money, man-hours that could be better spent, materials, electricity) on a rath. Second, excuses like “seva” etc don’t hold. If the rath project eats into laboratory time or resources even slightly, it’s unacceptable. Period. Three, inappropriate diversions of this kind are an insult to the hundreds of DRDO scientists actually doing stellar, quality military research, even at the same laboratory. Indulgences of this kind hurt the reputations of scientists who have to work harder just to make up for the incompetence, laziness and vacuous sahib culture of their colleagues. Finally (and this is my favourite reason) it should disturb us all gravely that a motorised battery-powered chariot is the level of “technology” the DRDO is dabbling with and feels proud to pass on. As someone on Twitter pointed out to me, a small group of engineering kids could have built the thing in two months or less. (Less. Definitely less. Have you seen the stuff engineering students make these days?)
The Bombay High Court has better things to do than intervene in preposterous issues of this kind, but I for one would love to know how this one plays out, especially since the DRDO chief himself has been asked to explain. The DRDO chief is a good man, a strong missile scientist, who I hope will send out the right message. Because for far too long, the DRDO has gotten away never having to explain itself, always shielding itself with a pretend-patriotic forcefield, crying foul at the slightest criticism and accusing its detractors of being anti-nationals.
“Not just high-altitude chikki”. That was the title of the final column I wrote for the Indian Express before I left in 2007. The column welcomed a rare formal awakening within the government about the need to completely overhaul and reinvent India’s doddering, plagued and villified Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO). The government’s decision to find ways to kick the DRDO into a shape was, if not directly a result of, at least catalysed by a relentless eight-part series that the Express had frontpaged just days earlier, carefully picking apart the breathtaking incompetence and sense of entitlement that had allowed the DRDO to balloon into a nightmarishly out-of-control and wasteful organisation. The title of my parting column was a reference to the mind-boggling products the DRDO found (sigh, and still finds) the need to expend its energies on, instead of focusing on giving India its basic weapons. (The DRDO’s Defence Food Research Laboratory in Mysore actually researches, among other things, stabilised chikki and cashewnut burfi for troops at high altitude). DRDO chief at the time M Natarajan had written an letter to all employees asking them not to be affected by the “malicious news columns” that seek “distract us from our goal of self-reliance”.
Comment Writing about DRDO for almost exactly ten years now, the one thing I’ve noticed is that hilarity about its misadventures always diffuses into anger. The truth is, the organisation has nobody but itself to blame. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Modi chastised the DRDO at a public event, informing it that the world wouldn’t wait for it, and that delays in crucial weapons projects was unacceptable. The DRDO has enjoyed “friendly” defence ministries in the past, notably under AK Antony. Modi has signalled that the time for fun and games is over. The message is simple: That’s public money you’re using. Soldiers need the stuff you make. You don’t have a moment or a rupee to waste. Get your shit together. Now.
Written by: Dr Anantha Krishnan M,Wednesday, November 19, 2014,
Bengaluru, Nov 18: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has decided to wind up the Kaveri engine (GTX-35VS ) programme, signaling an end to a desi dream of equipping its own fighter jet with a home-grown power plant. Sources in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed to OneIndia on Tuesday that the DRDO has already moved a file recently seeking the closure of the ambitious engine development project undertaken by Bengaluru-based Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE).
The proposal now needs to get the approval of the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and finally the clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) – a process expected to take at least a year. The Kaveri project, which began in the mid-80s, was aimed at powering the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. GTRE has spent so far Rs 2,106 crore on the project so far and could only fly the engine for 73 hours on the IL-76 Flying Test Bed (FTB) in Russia. The delay in the project saw DRDO choosing the GE 404 engine for Tejas Mk-1 and GE 414 for Tejas Mk-II. GTRE gets additional funds Sources said that the DRDO has sanctioned Rs 300 crore for GTRE to take up future projects. “The lab is gearing up to take up some futuristic projects and the sanctions have been already given. Another additional sanction of Rs 700 crore is on its way to help realize these gen-next technologies,” an official said.
Sources confirm that a separate proposal of Rs 2,600 crore to develop engines for an ‘ambitious project’ is under consideration now. The lab has been given another Rs 70 crore for a strategic programme. Part of DRDO’s bold decision, confirms DG Refusing to divulge the finer details, Dr K Tamilmani, Director-General (Aero), DRDO, confirmed to OneIndia that the Kaveri project will be scrapped. “Yes. These are part of the bold stand being taken by DRDO. Whereever we have found bottlenecks for long time, with no realistic solutions, it’s better to move on. It is an honest stand we are taking,” Tamilmani said. When asked whether the decision was a fall out of the recent remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking DRDO to come out of the delay trap, the senior official refused to make a direct comment. “If you are fit to run only for 50 km, why attempt 100 km? DRDO has realized its mistakes of the past and we have no hesitation in taking some bold steps,” he said. Sources said that the MoF has sought some clarifications from DRDO on the Kaveri project, before the matter could finally reach the CCS.
Years of hard work won’t go waste: GTRE Director Dr C P Ramanarayanan, Director, GTRE, said that the DRDO decision might not be final. Leading a team of 900-plus staff at GTRE, Dr Ramanarayanan is now left with the task of inspiring the team to launch future projects. “This is not the end of the road. We have identified some 12 core areas of technologies and various teams are already at it. Years of hard work put in by the team won’t go waste either,” Dr Ramanarayanan, a torpedo specialist, told OneIndia.
He said world over not many countries have progressed ahead in making engines. “We have made a good start and despite the delays, proved our capabilities to our best of abilities. The lessons learnt will not go down the drain. India must become self sufficient in making aero engines and our efforts will continue,” he added.
Appeal to clean DRDO of corrupt and anti-national officials
