Malda Training Diary - Administrative Training Institute

Page 103 of 103
Work done
Reception of central study team
People met
EE PHE North Bengal Divsn.—Mr.Thakur
SE PHE—Mr. Ghoshal
Central Health Engr—Mr. Dorairajan
Information
The Drought Study Team arrived 2 hours late at 8.30 p.m. consisting of 1 solitary person
from Delhi [Health Dept] accompanied by SE and EE PHE, leaving for Raiganj 8 a.m. Farce
of a visit, as it boiled down to taking the DM’s report which they could have had in Cal. The
SE said this tight schedule and the visit had political reasons. The amount to be given had
already been decided upon. The visit was purely throwing dust in the eyes of all. The member
was worried over the money wasted in sinking and re-sinking tubewells and all the drought
relief money and was in favour of long term plans of sinking deep tubewells. However, DAO
pointed out that DTWs were not allowed to be sunk nearer than 2 miles apart and as they
can’t irrigate over 150 acres, much will be left dry. Also, the time for sinking and cost
involved and dependence on the power supply discourage farmers. On the other hand, sinking
STWs is within a farmer’s monetary capacity, wholly within his control and without any
restrictions on distance, hence they prefer this.
The DM and the SE of PHE repeatedly stressed the ravages wrought by drought. The DAO,
Suptdt Sericulture, AE PHE were present too. At 1030 p.m. the session gave over. As both
their vehicles were out of order, DM gave his own station wagon for taking them to Raigunj.
In office, probationers who have been going to blocks are unearthly hours with tubewell
pipes, strongly criticised the total lack of liaison: no one in blocks is ever around to take
delivery. Further, it’s meaningless of SDO to insist on their going even at night as no one
receives them that late. Roy Chowdhury recounted how SDO in front of clerks and evacuee
staff at Kutubsahar had berated him for not counting all the bales of blankets tho’ he himself
had told him earlier this was not necessary. They are all furious with SDO for his
inconsiderate orders and also for his neglecting signing loan bonds of the Rs.3 ½ lakhs we
distributed in the town. The Spl. LAO was not in the list for his harassment and nauseating
sweet talk of probationers. BDOs English Bazar and Old Malda were hurt at getting letters
from DM criticising slow tubewell sinking tho’ they had sent 3 reports that all work was
complete.
9.6.1972
Work done
With DM toured Old Malda RLI schemes 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 50 km.
Submitted enquiry report on Araidanga.
Information
In the morning, I typed out the report on Araidanga loans. When I submitted it to DM, I
found BDO Old Malda there. DM told him not to treat me as Ast. Mgte but to teach me how
to inspect TR work, cash-book of block and all other functions of block.
Then all 3 of us went out. First to Jalanghi, on NH 34 where we saw the new dirt path made
by TR and the dam he had made by TR. Found a tubewell out of order. Then to Muchia
anchal. On the way we got down to test newly installed tubewells. I told DM about Sahapur
weavers needing loans to buy drums to wind thread. Our destination was Char Lakhipur
where in the midst of the drought we saw a rich harvest because of the water. The villagers
would not let DM go without tea and sweets and hare highly sentimental and so he had to
wait a full hour while they got it from across the river. Meanwhile they spoke of their
problems. All are refugees. This was wasteland and they reclaimed it. All were full of praise
for Bimal Chakravarty. Their need now is for settlement of these lands as they possess no