Malda Training Diary - Administrative Training Institute

Page 121 of 121
The Muharrir of Habibpur JLRO officer came & admitted that the clerk habitually took
bribes & delayed official work. Told him to get me eye-witnesses.
29.7.1972
Work done
Relief Movement.
Circuit House
Habibpur 2 enquiries [2p.m.- 6.30p.m.] 100 km
Receiving CM: 11 p.m. – 12.30 a.m.
Information.
Usual helter-skelter over CH; even more now due to repairs which had to be done in every
bathroom & the renovation which had to be stopped & bamboo “machas” all dismantled.
Electric fittings of tube-lamp, fan, bell, bed switch had to be made. When I got back from
Habibpur, all wires were lying on floor, so called back mechanics to wire them underneath
the matting. Also more wire had then to be bought as DM wanted fan to be shifted to a
different spot in the room nearer the beds. Doing this was a huge job needing a switch board
& much else & was completed only at 8 p.m. Rose-water was brought for sprinkling [SDO’s
idea which DM enthusiastically took up]. The drawing room was readied for tomorrow’s
meeting; then DM dismantled it & said it should be done only tomorrow!
Irrigation Min. turned up sniffed at the odour of paint & said CM could not stay here but at
tourist lodge [luckily DM had told me to fix up 3 rooms (including one air-cond. suite) so all
the labour & Rs. 50 spent on CH today went wasted. Further one sofa set was sent by cart to
T. Lodge from CH! Shortage of jeeps as usual. Meeting also at Z.P. Hall & not C.H.
Statesman reporter is here & the 28 th & 29 th paper has carried lead stories on Bamangola &
Gajol. Marwari Relief Society has turned up today too.
For the milk powder, I sent Gorachand & Maity with truck carrying full quota for Ratua &
Harishchandrapur and only Kharba II’s quota [because they have no trailer]. I intend sending
across a trailer for Ratua. Told them to be very firm if coolies at the ghat objected to our
using our own coolies. At night they reported that Kharba I jeep had refused to take powder
for II ! Luckily Joyram Banerji had come with jeeps & had taken the powder. Ratua-I refused
to take II’s shipment. If co-ordination & consideration is so pitiable inside Malda Then what
of the state & India! I must come down hard on this. Also TR tokens are not being supplied in
full quantities. This time press has been given 10 days time to submit by 5 th while earlier 3 –5
days were given. This must be rectified also.
At Habibpur I reached at 3 p.m. due to hold up in the Relief Office. Layak had also to meet
DAO & Jt. Dir. about his A E O’s indiscipline & refusal to do relief duty. The clerk, Sunil
Basu, had returned the Rs.17 yesterday to the petitioners! Their statement I recorded once
again, then Basu’s, who at first denied then admitted to taking the money but that Hasda had
forced it on him. The case is quite clear. He said he never takes bribes, but from other sources
his corruption is widely known. After this I went & met mother of Chapal Bagchi, a soldier
killed in war, to get details of dependants. They are living purely on his provisional pension;
there is no other income. 7 brothers & sister + mother. One lady in Cooch Behar has filed
claim to PF as his wife! Completed this enquiry too & was telling DM who told me not to
think of anything but CM now!
30.7.1972, Sunday
Work done
Meeting of CM with all officials & MLAs.
Information
Arranged transport for VIPs & meeting began around 10.30 a.m. at Zilla Parishad. CM came
in his indigo sport shirt and in quite a temper with his P.S. for delay in getting out the proper