Malda Training Diary - Administrative Training Institute

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the room for sweeping). Later I heard she had been interrogated by the OC & told to hand it
back if she had taken it.
From library took Accounts I & II books. Some 18 Civil Defence personnel arrived early
morning & are camping in the compound-- one way of having it kept clean!
Sunday, 13.2.1972
Work done
Loading of Mukatipur shelter materials (9-11 am).
Accompanied Rathin Kar to Pukhuria where Ratua II Block-HQ will be shifted. (12.30-5.30
pm, 70 km.).
Information
Extremely miserable rainy day all of a sudden. At 9 am. I went to the garage pool & found
not a single truck had left though’ Mr. Rahman had been there from 8 am. I at once had Ashit
Saha [offg. MVI (Tech)] send 8 trucks & went ahead with Rahman in a jeep. Started off
loading operations and went back to garage to see if any more trucks were available. Sent off
the single free one to Habibpur. DM was not in, as the Rajshahi DC with family & staff is
suddenly coming today. One of the trucks I intercepted on way to Sibganj yesterday was
carrying this message to DM, as T.K.Das had not been able to get through to him by phone. I
am worried that the trucks might get stuck going to Sibganj as it has been raining. That will
stall operations till the sun dries the road.
At 12.30 pm. Kar came and asked me to accompany him to Ratua where he was going to
inspect the proposed new site (Pakhuria) for the Block office (now at Ariadanga). This has
been necessitated by the recent gherao & forced paying of House Building Loan by local
Maithilis against the BDO. Also, the new site is far more central a place for the Block’s 7
Anchals. The Anchal Pradhan & the villagers are ready to do everything to have the office
here. We inspected the newly built house, its records, quarters available for staff.
The roads are very dangerous because of the alluvial clay which becomes very slippery if
wet. The result was the jeep, driven by Kar, skidded into a hedge! Fortunately there was no
damage. The jeep itself is difficult to drive smoothly because of a cracked carburettor and
loose throttle spring.
Talking of my impressions of the Collectorate, in response to Kar’s queries on returning from
Ratua, over a cup of tea in my room, I told him there was so much scope for development
here, specially pisciculture. He agreed. I further asked why the office began only at 11. He
said this was a result of the lax attitude of Ganguli, the previous Sr.Dy.Collr. He intends to
start it at 10 henceforth by enforcing the rule of 1 day’s leave cancelled for 5 late arrivals.
After all, if Treasury can start at 10, why not the rest? He told me the O.S. was an active Coordination
Committee chap and so any office reforms have to be done carefully. OS himself
never comes before 11am.
Kar commended me on my ideals, dynamism & willingness to work & tour, and said I was
quite a different kind of Asst. Magis. He advised me to beware of the attitude we tend to
develop on becoming ADM’s of knowing everything & getting egocentric.
Around 11.30 am 2 of the Kutubsahar Camp Assts. came see me. Actual reason was to
enquire about job possibilities. I explained that unless their political leaders passed orders
sanctioning more posts, we were helpless though’ wanting to help. All these boys are Youth
Congress and are confident of winning 8 of the 10 Malda seats & getting a majority in the
Assembly. Hence I repeatedly stressed our inability to help unless the Ministers sanctioned
posts. Also I pointed out the restrictions vs. any expansion, owing to need for economy
following the war, as also decision to give WB employees DA at Central rates [Rs.5 crores].
They appeared quite convinced. And I also unobtrusively stressed our political neutrality by
saying I would not vote at all so that I could genuinely behave non-partisanly.
14.2.1972