Malda Training Diary - Administrative Training Institute

Page 72 of 72
really felt furious, rang up DM who calmly said they are welcome to sit back. He also asked
me, when I met him, to wait & see the reaction—how very shrewd he was!
I had drafted a reply for OC Evacuee Relief to Chief Secy’s query about whether trucks had
gone and was about to send it off, when Sunil Pandey, one of the decent drivers, asked for 15
mins. more. Exactly at 1.30 p.m. I was told they were all ready to go. I sent trucks to get fuel
& told DM accordingly. Permits were made out with some changes, as drivers of 3 trucks
were not present & substitutes were found. I also searched for my companion, S.N.Roy
Chowdhury, but he had disappeared. On my return I learnt he had left office early!
Left at 4 p.m. At Mohadipur waited till all trucks arrived, had them and driver’s names noted
& gave instructions that none of these trucks were to be allowed to return with these drivers.
Told the O.C., Capt. Parmar, the reasons.
Meanwhile, prior to leaving, Bhutobabu suddenly arrived from Cal with his mother & wanted
a lift. So I took them in the ambulance.
At Bangladesh checkpost I also left a list of trucks with same instructions.
The road was worse—tons of fresh earth had ruined its hard surface. On the way, truck of
Sankar Das, one ringleader, fell into a ditch trying to save a cyclist. Had to be towed out. We
reached the ghat around 7 p.m. Samaddar came over and took me to the thana where SDO in
charge was waiting just to meet me. He had booked 2 rooms in Rajshahi CH for the “ICS
officer from Malda”, because the police he had rung up don’t understand “IAS”. He had been
waiting even after office hours just to meet me. A man with fine ideas & plans. Acute
shortage of officers as usual: he is the sole officer at present!
Around 10 pm. ferry stopped & the majhis refused to work. The motor-boat driver also had
left quietly. Meanwhile, 10 vehicles were still left. We had food at thana & they also arranged
for drivers & refused payment. We three then crossed back & guarded trucks while their
drivers went for food. Quite lovely at night beside the river. Ferry was forcibly started again
at midnight, and trucks were all across around 2 am. We crossed in the last one. They stayed
back for the night. In the ambulance we three shot off & reached the C.H. at 3.30 am and
dropped off to sleep.
In the morning I found quite a few drivers gone without telling me. Irresponsible conduct
throughout. I collected all keys separately, met Amjad Ali in one of the rooms. He rang up
ADC who came at 9 a.m., DC being in Murshidabad. Their mechanic checked all tools &
some friction arose, so I ordered both parties to come direct to me. That solved it. I would
give keys to one truck at a time, & the mechanic I asked to sign all the receipts. ADC signed
all these after mechanic had finished.
Meanwhile, their Food Minister arrived & his group roundly attacked the District Controller
of Food. Basic need is repairing Rohanpur-Singabad rail link. Can’t see why they are not
tackling it though’ they all say it is crucial. I was introduced to the minister who seems deaf
& not efficient. The bureaucrats (ASP, ADC) didn’t hesitate to criticise in private in my
presence the arrogant behaviour of the entourage.
Anyhow, after all papers were signed & stamped & we had lunch at a small hotel at Rajshahi
Court, we left at 12.45 p.m. & reached Malda at 4 p.m.
I went direct to DM dust covered as I was & was asked to go straight up to his bedroom. He
seems better. He made me have Chira, milk, banana and related how on 03/04/1971 he had
sent 2 coys BSF with 3 inch mortars to regularly shell Rajshahi Pakistani positions, &
showed me letters from Ashok Mitra, Secy. Planning Commission & personal advisor to PM,
approving it through a cryptic letter saying he was glad to see the good work being done. I
left him at 5 p.m. Later his peons came to invite me to a dinner all peons were throwing for
DM. I was the only other officer asked! At night when I went, Dr. Banerjee was attending the
DM who had started sweating profusely & felt unwell daring a function at Malda Women’s
College. Pressure was o.k. Dr. diagnosed it as wind & mental anxiety. We had a fine dinner.