Working out of office

Prasaad Bhosekar

We talk of bad roads, inadequate electricity, and lack of investment when we talk of things that are holding India back. Our corporate leader discourse on ‘supply side economics’ and our PM talks of taking India to the big table riding on nuclear power. Yet when was the last time that serious attention was given to rein in the dereliction of duty and corruption that plagues the Indian bureaucracy; a problem that exists right under the venerable noses of our politicians and? Too be sure, it is a problem that we have talked about for so long that it has become the background noise in any debate we undertake over the state of India. But like background noises we hardly listen to them any more.

Zee News recently found a startling example of this malaise. It discovered that government officials have so far learnt to take their jobs for granted that the entire staff of a government office in Andhra Pradesh was missing at a time when they should have all been on their seats. It found that the officials were attending a party thrown by a local Sarpanch.

The entire office was deserted. The clock showed 3:15 PM, well past the lunch hour. Every chair stood empty. And except for two orderlies, everyone was missing. More surprising still, the team found a non-official, a person entirely unconnected to the office, sitting in an official’s chair and handling important files.

The office happened to be of the Tahsildar of the Ramachandrapuram town of Medak district, situated about 40 km from Hyderabad. The office is important enough to merit rigorous security. The Zee News team tried to gather information on the en masse bunking from the two attendants left at the place. One, named Ramlulu, informed the team that the officials were attending a party thrown by the local sarpanch, he mentioned that they left in ‘big cars.’

Another attendant Manila was unwilling to talk. The team also questioned the man sitting in the official’s chair. This person, on being asked for his identification, said that he did not belong to the office but was there because he was a friend of one of the officials. He had come there on a ‘friendly visit.’

Next, one of the reporters called up an official on her cell phone. Speaking in Telugu he asked her where she was and why was the office empty. She replied that she and the rest of the staff were out on some official work and would be back in half hour. Were they attending a party?, asked our reporter. No, no, they were only attending a Puja ceremony, she answered.

The team then decided to take themselves to the ‘puja’ grounds. In an open place a full fledged party was in progress. Vehicles lined the area, and liquor flowed freely. And yes, all the staff members of the Tahsildar’s office were in attendance. Just to put this entire incident in perspective, the party was thrown by a sarpanch who had recently been given the ‘Good Sarpanch’ award.

A sad commentary on the state of our country when we have just celebrated a historic Republic Day. Adapted by Shafey Danish