Expose`! Expose`! Expose`!
[Pardaphaash! Pardaphaash!
Pardaphaash!]
Expose why? For what? For
whom?
Scam! Scam! Scam!
by Pushpraj
The question is why a Pardaphaash in the crowd of blogs? We are drawing out the curtains, look what’s inside. It’s not about what I think or write, it’s about our country
(Great India), large democratic country in the world and a big plunder is going on here. ‘Pardaphaash’ is not just a raw truth instead it’s ripened. Ripen because all thedocuments are proved to be true and the matter is completely cooked.
Our country is being run with false promises, some promise to remove darkness withelectricity, some promise to generate electricity and there are some who maintain the darkness and swallow up everything. Scams kept going on and some people kept screaming helplessly against it. One, who will oppose the scams, will be killed. Indian democracy is used to copying the European countries, and like any other, the ones who oppose the Scamsters are called “whistle blowers” in India. What is the crime of A.K Jain, the President of the DVC Engineers’ Association who has forbidden the Scamsters’ sleep? Why should a government servant be suspended for his loyalty, even he has saved crores of rupees of the government? Should he be assassinated? Someone is threatening? Who is defending threateners? Who is trying to execute the threat? Our “whistle blowers” gaining lesson from Premchand’s famous character called ‘Halku’ are neither blowing the whistle nor chasing the terrorist with their guns. Read the diary against the scam registered in Pardaphaash and give us your views and tell us - do you know any other government servant who has created a war against such scams?
Pardaphaash is an easy process of the natural culmination. Main stream journalism did not give this scam a suitable platform, so, do we have any other option left? Indian journalism has brought about many such scams in front of the public and exposed them. To make aware in favor of a weak or in support of strong is brought up in the womb of this journalism. The backbones of journalists like Prabhash Joshi, Kuldip Nayar and Ajit Bhattacharjee are still erect who bothered to write against Indira Gandhi’s government in that situation and were headstrong in bringing out the truth. Why did Kuldip Nayar had to go to jail during emergency, why did Prabhash Joshi keep Jansatta as the only option? We have complete freedom to choose our Icon. Our expectation from this main stream media is that you give this issue your acceptance. If you are interested, you can publish this article after our acceptance. You must pay me for this publication. Journalists who believe in public interest journalism can relate themselves with Pardaphaash. This blog will not be the medium of expressing malicious self preaching. Those people can also link themselves with this collaboration, whose neighbor died due to hunger and the one who had snatched his ration proved his death to be due to snake bite. The next step of Pardaphaash is to catch hold of the secret nerve of the corrupt politicians and rotten government system.
Stigma of a scam on the turban of Manmohan Singh’s Government
Damodar Valley Corporation, involved in the scam of five thousand crore?
The pen, which used to raise the people’s movement, I am writing for the first time in our country against a major corruption in this scam diary. Many braves of this main stream journalism have evidences regarding the scam, but this could not become the news for them.
In developing India, the elite class, who believe in economic neo liberalism, they may present the corruption as nationalism. Corruption is ‘anti development’, ’anti national’ and ‘anti poor’, this is an old belief. But, this scam is more harmful than cancer for our democracy; the blood is dangerous, which is equally flowing in and out from our media houses to UPA Govt.
In Delhi, capital of our country ample amount of electricity required during 2010 Common Wealth Games and for the production of electricity, many proposals for Power Plants were brought up. With the construction of these power plants, lot of money has gone in the scam due to irregularities since last few years. India’s most prestigious guardian institute (Central Vigilance Commission) had asked for a CBI inquiry against the loot going on in the DVC (Damodar Valley Corporation). But the Ministry of Power of the Indian Government has yet not given any orders to start any kind of investigation. The Indian Government and the DVC signed an agreement (Power Purchase Agreement) in 2006 for 5200 MW power supply to New Delhi. In this agreement the Ministry of Power approved 6 power projects .The power projects proposed in Mejia, Durgapur, koderma, Raghunathpur, Chandrapura and Bokaro Thermal will cost about Rs. 25, 000 crore. Since everything has been done in illegal and irregular manner, it is certain that at least 20 % of the whole project has gone in the scam. The conclusion of the facts collected from the All India Power Engineers’ Federation and DVC Engineers’ Association is that, so far, Rs. 5, 000 crore has gone in the scam.
The facts tell us that the main share holder of this scam is the then Chairman of the DVC Asim kumar Barman, IAS. The information of the irregularities caused in the construction of power houses and other plans from time to time was given to Manmohan Singh and Central Vigilance Commission, but neither any ban was imposed on the loot, nor was any action taken against corruption. On the initiative of the DVC Engineers’ Association, the MP of the Communist Party of India, Bhuwaneshwar Mehta, JD (U) MP & National President Sharad Yadav, RJD MP Alok Mehta and several other MPs wrote letters to the PM, Manmohan Singh and informed him about the scam.
The Central Vigilance Commission wrote a letter to the Ministry of Power informing them that the Raghunathpur Power Project contract was given to M/S Reliance Energy Limited worth 4000 crores, while the others were illegally ignored and the DVC paid Reliance Energy interest free advance of 354.07 crores violating rules of Govt. of India and even, its own stipulations in LOA (Letter of Acceptance) & LOI (Letter of Intent). The office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of the Indian government has questioned DVC regarding the interest free advance paid to M/S Reliance Energy. The owner of M/S Reliance Energy, Anil Ambani is an honoured industrialist of the country. Firstly, the question arises - is it right to break the rules and give the contract to M/S Reliance Energy and then paying an interest free advance after changing the conditions of the original tender? Secondly, is Sushil Kumar Shinde still untouched with this, even after stopping the CBI enquiry till date?
Is the PM office still unaware of the scam? Congress MP and the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy, Gurudas Kamat wrote a letter to the PM on 3rd October 2008 informing him that A.K Barman, Chairman, DVC had awarded the tender of all the proposed projects in a wrong way on single tender basis ignoring the interests of the government and stressed for a CBI enquiry on the corruption and the irregularity in the distribution of the tender. Why is Manmohan Singh sitting quietly on the proposal of an enquiry?
The Chairman, Parliamentary Standing committee on Energy also gave brief information in his letter to the PM regarding Asim Kumar Barman’s misdeeds on the basis of the reports provided by A.K Jain, President, DVC Engineers’ Association.
Why didn’t Manmohan Singh give the orders for a CBI enquiry, is it because, if the scam is exposed, the progressive face of the progressive alliance government will be exposed and the Congress led Central Government does not have the courage to face it? If you think corruption is an unhealed wound of Indian democracy and then think over it – is exposing of this electricity scandal - the sin of journalism?
Rules kept breaking, scams kept growing
I am showing you the scandal that stained the white turban of our dear government. It will be said to me that why I am staining the white-golden character of our Manmohan government? I am not saying anything which’s surprising. In the context of the scam, I am publicly showing our nation, the letters, which are revolving around the offices of PMO, Central Vigilance Commission and the Ministry of Power since last more than two years. When the DVC management have made several irregularities, then how can you say that it is not a scandal of Rs. 5, 000 crore? I am afraid, it is more and measuring it low. If you check the available documents, you will agree that it is not only about the power supply for the Common Wealth Games and the approval of the Ministry of Power for six power plants by DVC, instead it is about giving contracts to some big companies of the nation and eating up Nation’s wealth for personal interest.
According to the DVC Act of 1948, passed by the Parliament of India, DVC was established in Bihar (unpartitioned) and west Bengal. After all, prohibiting the DVC Act passed by the superior house, why the Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde decided to supply electricity from Bengal and Jharkhand, 1500 kms away from Delhi. Just because you are part of the government of India, you can do anything? When NTPC is producing 1500 MW electricity for the commonwealth games, then why Delhi also needs DVC’s power? When 70% of the villages of Jharkhand and West Bengal are in complete darkness then why is DVC keen to construct new power houses for Delhi leaving the villages in its own boundary in darkness? Power Minister ignored the DVC Act for power supply to New Delhi in the name of Common Wealth Games and everything happened in a natural way. On 30th march 2006, Asim Kumar Barman became the Chairman of DVC and he got closer to Sushil Kumar Shinde and irregularity kept increasing and loot became more condensed. After being closer to Sushil Kumar Shinde, IAS Chairman started behaving like a politician rather than a bureaucrat. On 11th December 2007 when Reliance Energy got the order of Raghunathpur Thermal Power Project, then why the other three companies present were ignored? Ignoring other companies, Reliance Energy received the contract on single tender basis, the Reliance in accordance with the terms of the contract for the Common Wealth Games, they urged the DVC management to allow them to supply power during the common wealth games in November 2010 instead of October 2010, the management accepted it without any delay. Bhel, Monet, and DEC, DVC did not permit them for even one day delay for technical specification, but the same DVC has agreed for a month’s delay in power supply during the common wealth games for Reliance - why? The ministry of power approved the proposal of new power houses for the 2010 Common Wealth Games then what will be the requirement of the Raghunathpur power plant in the month of November, 2010 when the Common Wealth Games will get over? Why was the specification of the Raghunathpur thermal power project changed in the interest of Reliance Energy? In the changed specification, keeping in mind the economic benefit of Reliance Energy, the quality of coal was modified. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) of India raised questions against the change in specifications in the original tender after opening of the price bid. The Chief Engineer of the CEA wrote a letter to the Chairman, Asim Kumar Barman on 30th October 2007 and objected the change made in the quality of coal and clearly wrote -“the change in the quality of coal will cause regular break downs during the power generation”. With the adjustment in the quality of coal the boiler of Reliance Energy will be prepared at a cheaper cost, but with the constant break down. A boiler is the heart of a thermal power plant. In this case, will the boiler help the power plant manufactured by Reliance Energy to produce 1200 MW electricity? Technical experts say, this will not be possible. Why did the ministry and DVC invite others for the tender when they had decided to get the Raghunathpur thermal plant constructed by the holy hands of Reliance Energy? The DVC Chairman, on the legal agreement basis does not have the right to give a contract of more than Rs. 2 crore on single tender. But in June, 2008, on the basis of a legal agreement, the Chairman gave the contract for 1x500 MW at Bokaro thermal power project to BHEL worth Rs.1840 crore. DVC had called the open tender for this project on an international competitive bidding (ICB) route. Four companies had bought the tender papers for this project. BHEL bought the tender papers, but, did not submit the tender even then the DVC Chairman Asim Kumar Barman gave the contract to BHEL on negotiation basis violating all rules & regulations and rejected the bid of one party, who had quoted in time as per rule. The question is, when they had to give the tender to BHEL why did they call open tender on an international level, when they had to give the contract to a definite company, then what was the need to spend so much on advertisements?
DVC Engineers’ Association and All India Power Engineers Federation have already pointed out that the proposed thermal power plant at Bokaro Thermal will not be able to produce electricity at any cost. According to pollution control act, a power house should be located 500 mts away from railway line and 7 kms away from a river but the Bokaro power plant will be situated near Konar River. Such decision has been taken for the first time in the world that a power house will be constructed near the bank of a river and its switchyard on other side of the river. With this proposed power plant, there is a strong apprehension that the existing power house in Bokaro may become inoperative.
DVC gave the contract of Koderma thermal power plant to BHEL worth 2606 crore 79 lacs on single tender basis. Without the availability of Land, more money was distributed than the target of the plan. When the acquisition of the land is in dispute then advance payment and everything is in the violation of the code of conduct. Breaking all the legal barriers, the tender of the Chandrapura thermal power plant project worth Rs. 2, 300 crore was given to BHE on single tender basis. When you have given the contract to BHEL in a wrong way, you can expect them to follow all the rules and regulations. BHEL has made NBCC its partner in the Chandrapura construction work, who has been remarked for a dismal performance by DVC. Being earmarked for a disappointing performance means it is to be black-listed. Black-listed companies are not entitled to receive any work. DVC Chairman, Asim Kumar Barman did not include NBCC in the white- listed companies on his own, but you should observe how fast the storm of difference between black and white was flowing in the scam. There is a scandal going on in the tender of the Proposed Mejia power plant B and Durgapur steel thermal power project. The contract of Mejia B and Durgapur Steel power plant worth Rs. 4000 crore each have been given to BHEL on single tender basis. Leaving behind the topic of corruption, scandal and robbery, we come to know that Mejia B thermal power plant will generate 1000 MW electricity for the Common Wealth Games, which will make DVC proud. For those, who see corruption as a scratch on the body of development, it will be a positive image and a hope that DVC will have a power plant of its own and with its power, our nation’s pride the common wealth games will lighten up and make India proud. Pandit Nehru gave the concept of displacement, the knowledge of sacrifice for the nation’s development. Madam Sonia can say that common wealth games will increase the pride of our country, then the people of this proud nation will have to bear some scandals.
Chew gold and go to sleep
The Indian government passed the project of 6 power houses for the 2010 Common Wealth Games to the DVC, but where from will the 25 thousand crore rupees come for these projects? This game will be the pride of our country and to maintain this pride, DVC can take loan. To increase the country’s pride many big banks and financial institutions have accepted the application for loans. PFC (Power Finance Corporation), REC (Rural Electrification Corporation) and the consortium of PSU Banks have given DVC 70% of the total project money which is almost about 16 thousand and 350 crore rupees. According to the norms, the organization has to provide 30% of the total capital. The actual savings with the DVC at the time of the project approval was nearly not more than 2000 crore rupees. DVC requires more capital for the completion of all the proposed projects. For obtaining full loan, GOI’s full might and pressure would be required; else the proposed projects would remain uncompleted, which may not be surprising. The controversial Chairman of the DVC Asim Kumar Barman did many things for the achievement of the credit due to which the management had to bear heavy losses. The outstanding late payment of the electricity bills by the different consumers is called DPS (Delay payment surcharge). Barman showed this 2% DPS as the income of DVC and later paid the income tax of more than 500 crore on this inflated income. DVC did not receive the outstanding payment. He used the income tax revenue by showing it as the income of DVC and used it in receiving the loan. What a dramatic ploy to sink the venture by showing DVC in inflated profit.
Our country is already burdened with 3 lacs crore debt. If we want the 2010 Common Wealth Games to be held in the capital, DVC will have to construct 6 power houses, but for every project they will have to take a huge loan. This will be a domestic debt and not foreign, but who will pay this debt? The future of these projects is already in darkness. In the republic of 110 million citizens, every citizen will have to bear only 225 rupees for the debt of the Projects proposed by DVC. If you search your part in the estimated scandal of about 5 thousand crore, every citizen will have to pay about 45 rupees. We take loans and use them in scandals. The stories of the deciduous feudal families are spread all over India “to live beyond means” (Rinam kritwa dhritam pivet). When the barriers of following law and order is once broken, then the river of corruption shifted from Damodar and started flowing in the opposite direction towards Delhi. Union power minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde participated in the events of DVC, as if; he was its special minister for DVC and not of the country. Shinde spoke in favor of DVC’s Chairman AK Barman and appreciated him in open meetings. When the politicians and the administrators come together, then the condition of a public institution is bound to deteriorate, the picture can be seen in the records of the scam of DVC. Till now, there is a trend of celebrating silver jubilee and golden jubilee on the completion of 25 and 50 years respectively in a public institution. Chairman Barman transformed his service tenure into 60 years of establishment for the sake of celebration and declared to organize an event. There was celebration in the Damodar Valley region from July, 2007 till July, 2008 for completing 60 consecutive years. Unlike silver jubilee or golden jubilee, 60 years of establishment was transformed into parties without a name. Asim Kumar Barman released advertisements worth millions to the media for the imaginary achievements of the DVC in 60 years. Journalists were called from all over the country to write in favor of DVC. Those who accepted the invitation were so perplexed with the royal and chic greetings that they broke their pens in favor of DVC. One, English weekly published from Kolkata issued a full coloured special edition of 60 pages with advertisements worth 4 million and other unwritten facilities in favor of DVC and AK Barman. The editorial of this special issue was written in favor of AK Barman and in the whole magazine a corrupt Chairman was presented as Abhimanyu of Mahabharata. Money was spent lavishly more than the fodder scam. Barman tried to see all the heavenly dreams with the strength of money and enjoyed all the leisure of life in his tenure. The Chairman, Secretary, Technical Director of DVC including the Chief Vigilance Officer attained the membership of Kolkata’s most expensive club. You can imagine, Kolkata’s most expensive club with the membership fee of 6 lacs per person, so did Barman pay the membership of the club with salary income? Under the Right to Information application of Gurnek Singh Brar, the member of All India Power Engineers Federation, DVC gave written information that Chairman Barman had attained the membership through personal sources but other top officer’s costs were borne by the DVC management. When the guardians and the Chief Vigilance Officer of the organization is involved in luxury and royal expenditure, how can we expect from him that he would be able to stop the management from drowning in corruption? When a soldier and a thief dive together, it’s said that the river becomes holy.
In old days when the dacoits used to come, they used to throw pieces of meat in front of the dogs to calm them. The celebration which took place in the pretext of 60 years, the Chairman gifted 8 gms gold to each and every 11000 employees of the DVC and also gifted them box of sweets twice throughout the year of celebration. DVC management did not give any information under RTI Act to the DVC Engineers’ Association regarding the total expenditure on sweets, gold and on the event celebrated throughout the year. How long will be the miracle of development through the approved projects undertaken purely on debt can sustain? For the sake of flood control, Damodar Valley Corporation was established on the alluvial of Damodar River, but who knows the chronology of power houses will be converted into flood of scams?
When the river of scandals in DVC became speedy, the CBI definitely got the information. The Central Vigilance Commission requested the ministry of power for a CBI enquiry. When the union minister and the chairman became friends, whatever the Central Vigilance Commission said was not necessary to be heard. Probably with the involvement of Sushil Kumar Shinde, there was an increase in dissatisfaction in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy. This is why the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee, Gurudas kamat wrote a letter on 3rd October, 2008 to Manmohan Singh and not Sushil Kumar Shinde, requesting him for a CBI enquiry on the contracts issued and the total expenditure during the tenure of Asim Kumar Barman. Kamat, the Chairman of the Standing Committee suggested for not giving extension of service to the accused Chairman AK Barman. The question is, when the Standing Committee had proved AK Barman as a corrupt Chairman, why did Sushil Kumar Shinde wrote a letter to Manmohan Singh and requested for extension of service of a corrupt Chairman? Sushil Kumar Shinde wrote a letter to Manmohan Singh on 22nd April, 2008- “DVC has developed a lot in Barman’s tenure. The expectation of power supply during Common Wealth Games from DVC can be fulfilled in the leadership and direction of AK Barman.” Under the Right to Information Act, 2005 the ministry accepted the information available and furnished the same to Gurnek singh Brar.-‘CBI had sent an application to the ministry on 6th May, 2008 to seek permission for a preliminary enquiry (PE) against the Chairman Barman. In the interest of the organization, the ministry cannot publish it. In the preliminary investigation of Central Vigilance Commission, CBI and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy found prima facie Asim Kumar Barman guilty. After knowing the disputed service detail of Shri Barman, the proposal of the Ministry of Power for reappointment of Barman was dropped. Then why did Sushil Kumar Shinde stop CBI from investigating against the corruption of Barman? The President, DVC Engineers Association AK Jain and the Chairman, All India Power Engineers Federation Padmajit Singh shoot out letters from time to time which included the evidences against the corruption going on in DVC. Why didn’t the PM’s office give any response to the recognized national organization of the prestigious Power Engineers? The role of the PM’s office in the defense of the accused Chairman, DVC is doubtful. In the context of the corruption going on in DVC, the MPs and the engineers wrote letters to the Prime Minister, even then the Prime Minister didn’t give permission to the CBI to proceed in the matter - why? The group of IAS was called the ‘steel frame’. But today because of the misdeeds of IAS like Asim Kumar Barman; this is shifting towards ‘bamboo frame’. It has become like bursted balloon. Whether frozen blood in the arteries of the democracy flow again? If your mouth is not filled with 8gms gold, then say that the frauds, who take debt and scandalize are not to be shown any mercy.
Whistle blower AK Jain brought back ten million rupees.
In the European countries, the public servant who keeps alerting the government against corruption is called ‘Whistle blower”. In our country the whistle blower wake up the people who are sleeping but do not publicize themselves. He thinks the loot of the government’s coffers as the loot of his wife’s jewelry gets upset and puts in all his efforts to bring it back. Asim Kumar Barman had donated a handsome amount of 1 crore in the 33rd national games held in Guwahati. President of the Engineers’ Association, AK Jain did see flaws in the charity. DVC had sent the charity amount in March, 2007 whereas, the national games were held in February 2007’.
In January 2008 on the initiative of AK Jain, the MP of the Communist Party of India, Bhuwaneshwar Mehta wrote a letter to the Central Vigilance Commission and the Ministry of Power telling them that in the detriment of charity there is more of personal interest involved in than the sports interest. On the basis of the report of the Chief Vigilance Officer, DVC, the Central Vigilance Commission and the Ministry of Power in context to its investigation closed the case file. It’s obvious that the government of Assam had sponsored the national games in Guwahati and the Assam government did not ask the DVC on its own for any kind of charity. Even after the file of Central Vigilance Commission was closed, AK Jain contacted B. Kalyan Chakravarthy, IAS and asked him about the charity received from DVC then the matter came to surface as Chakravarthy was ignorant about any charity received from DVC. He took the challenge of enquiry about the charity for the national games as the matter of his reputation. Chakravarthy contacted over phone and also wrote a letter on 7th January, 2009 to the Secretary of DVC, S. Biswas asking him - “whether a charity of Rs. 1 crore had been paid by DVC to whom and asked for its details.
After the exposure of the matter and with the keen interest taken by Chakravarthy and the Assam Govt., on 4th february2009, Bhaswar Goswami, the Executive Director of an Ad agency CMG (Celebrity Management Group) sent the charity money back to DVC. At the time of returning of 1 crore rupees after 22 months CMG wrote that due to some misunderstanding the charity money could not be given to the sponsor of the 33rd National Games. After 22 months of the return of 1 crore rupees, why did S.L Mitra, Addl. Secretary, DVC write a long letter to the Convener of the National Games explaining the intentions of DVC. Why Rs 1 crore remained with CMG for 22 months? If the DVC management truly wanted to donate money to the national games then how did the donation money reach CMG instead of the Games Secretary and why is DVC defending CMG who wanted to grab all the money .When the government of Assam did not receive the donation, then how did DVC Management was presented thanks giving letters written by A.K Joshi, IAS, the convener of the National Games & the Minister of Sports, Govt. of Assam and the same was sent to the Central Vigilance Commission by CVO, DVC in his report. A fake withdrawal of 1 crore rupees in the name of charity and presentation of evidence in favor of the scams shows the fraud committed by DVC. Under the Right to Information Act, the Convener of the National Games A.K Joshi proved the letter to be forged to the member of the All India Power Engineers’ Federation, Gurnek Singh which was presented by DVC to the Central Vigilance Commission. India’s most prestigious power organization’s management wanted to eat millions of rupees for which it produced a false letter in the name of an IAS officer and then cheated the most important guardian institution, the Central Vigilance Commission with this letter. On 1st April, 2009, the CBI branch of Kolkata seized many important documents after it raided in the secret places of the top officials of CMG and DVC management. In context to the raid, some newspapers of Kolkata printed some news related to it. If CBI has actually headed towards the investigation then why the main accused A.K. Barman hasn’t been arrested till now? Is CBI trying to save the central government from the stain of a scam at the time of elections? Is it that the CBI is neither able to work under the pressure of PM’s Office nor it wants to disclose any matter about the DVC scam in front of the media. It’s the matter to understand on the basis of the evidence with the help of which we are writing the diary of scam is also available with the CBI. If this matter is not exposed through the main stream media before the parliamentary elections, then the CBI will decide its role after seeing the face of the new Central government .By calling the Deputy Chief Engineer A.K Jain, a Whistle Blower, are we celebrating his coronation? DVC management did not even formally thank this ‘Whistle Blower’. The main accused of the scam, A.K Barman is trying his level best to save all the ‘big fishes’ involved in this scam. Has the Director of DVC Achintya Das resigned and ran away somewhere to escape from the trap of CBI? Can the accused of the scams leave India and hide in some other country? Media will have to keep an eye on all the masterminds of the scams. Who is running away from kingfisher and who is running away from Air India, we will have to keep an eye on everything.
Enemies of the scandals, ’whistle blower’s ‘icon.
Does chewing of gold bring a comfortable sleep? Everyone was practicing to sleep after the celebration, he could not sleep. He believes on all the claims of the media house. The biggies of the media, Journalists who can ‘separate water from milk’, Journalist in the category of “Jhooth bole cowaa kate” (if you lie, crow should bite), all the pens became quite in front of the scams. All the evidences are in front. All the witnesses are present. Every thing is clear. But there is a difficulty-how can we call a white elephant a black one? In the market of profit, will our interests be fulfilled after calling a white gold as black gold? You don’t have a gold piece in your mouth but you have delayed in thinking. Will the journalism work on the result of long term discussion?
IAS Barman remained the Chairman of DVC from 30th march 2006 till 30th November 2008. Sushil Kumar Shinde keenly tried to extend the services of Barman even after his retirement. Till 32 month’s, Barman’s service period was like his golden period. From the ministry till the PM’s office everyone has smelled a piece of gold, so that’s why every thing had to go right. In the golden era who has stopped a gold train from running on the tracks? If you don’t want to have ride on the train, can you stop it from the power of your chest? Can a common man stop the train running with the power of the Prime Minister, Union Minister of power, Reliance Energy? Even he never knew this, the train has stopped, the driver has changed, but the train still wants to run with its full speed. A man standing there thinks to push back the train to its old wooden tracks. Come and help this stubborn, because if he falls he will come under the train and the train will crush him and move further.
One piece of gold for all the DVC’s general staff, but for the Deputy Chief Engineer, a sac full of gold was already there. The way the President of the DVC Engineers’ Association put his job at stake and stopped the train, is commendable. Now you choose your side - this or that side. Our establishment is in deficit, parties are being celebrated by taking debts, we know, everything is invalid; every thing is against the law. What is our role against the one that’s inexhaustible? The officers responsible for holding a stick of discipline over DVC’s management is the Chief Vigilance Officer, who himself is involved in royal expenditure. The time is very bad but if we have to say something, we will have to knock every door of the democracy. If not heard here, we look there. Perhaps, some door may be open from which we can keep our thoughts in front of the democracy of those citizens who are the borrower of these debts. For 15 consecutive years A.K Jain was the General Secretary of the organization and for three years he is the President of the Engineers’ Association of DVC. For the third time All India Power Engineers Federation selected Jain as the Additional Secretary General. In June 2004, Jain had the first encounter with the management when he put an application against the service extension of Colonel R.N Malhotra. Despite the protests, the then Secretary of DVC, A.K Basu extended the service period of R.N. Malhotra. The Committee was constituted by the Ministry of Power on the appeal of Jain. The Committee gave orders to remove the then Director from his post immediately but the management did not bother to obey the orders of the Committee of the ministry. The Central Vigilance Commission found the Secretary A.K Basu guilty in this matter. The accused Director was not removed from his post; instead A.K Jain who had opened a front against him was charge-sheeted. The charges against A.K Jain were of complaining to the Central Vigilance Commission without seeking permission from the management of organizing a group of Engineers and misinterpreting the image of the management. In the eyes of the management, the image of A.K Jain was more bold and daring. In the charge sheet prepared by the management, more of egoism and personal rivalry could be seen but in the charge-sheet prepared against A.K Jain, each and every term of the charges were framed with malafied intension. Jain tried to expose prevailing corruption in the organization with the help of law of the land and the constitution considering the same as powerful tool. According to the guidelines of the Central Vigilance Commission, every public servant had the right to expose the corruption in the institution and the security and privacy guarantee was of the government itself. With the intervention of the Central Vigilance Commission on 9th Sept. 2005, the charge-sheet against A.K Jain was dropped. But A.K Basu who was found guilty by the Central Vigilance commission was appointed as the Chief Secretary in Jharkhand and is still there on the post.
Coal block scam halted.
In Premchand’s “Poos ki Raat”, because of Halku’s small nap,
AK Jain is a powerful officer but he learnt a lesson with Halku’s mistake, spending the night of winter and the days of summer is a difficult task. Cats are cautious to hunt the rats. Jain is a vegetarian and not a carnivore, but poachers’ surveillance has become his habit. When Asim Kumar Barman became the Chairman, loot became more dynamic. DVC was prepared to sell the coal block of Dumka to EMTA (Eastern Mining Trading Agency), proprietary of Chandan Basu and his associates. In 2007, DVC Engineers’ Association started struggling to save the block. The association wrote a letter to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Power, CVC & others and requested them to intervene immediately in the interest of DVC. The matter was referred to the ministry of law of the Indian government and the selling of the coal block to EMTA could not take place after seeing the matter to be controversial. Had the coal block been sold out a big scam of about 6 thousand crore was possible. DVC Engineers’ Association achieved a historic success by stopping the sale of the coal block to a private party.
IPS Rajesh Kumar, a Financial Adviser was removed.
The strength of the Chairman Asim Kumar Barman was never less than the power of Sushil Kumar Shinde. If anyone tried to stop the drifting river of scandals, he made him his personal enemy. An IPS officer Rajesh Kumar was appointed as the Financial Advisor for the tenure of 5 years. But, within seven months of his tenure he was removed from DVC in May, 2007. Rajesh Kumar appealed in CAT (Central Administrative Tribunal) and the decision was in his favor. DVC appealed against the decision of CAT to Kolkata High Court. The High Court delivered judgment reinstating Dr Rajesh Kumar in DVC. DVC appealed against the decision of the Kolkata High Court to the Supreme Court and the matter is pending there. It’s an irony that an honest administrator who tried to put a bridle on the financial chaos and to stop his entry in DVC, the organization has suffered a loss of more than one crore and a half of rupees by way of undue legal expenditure.
Life threats, transfer and charge sheets.
By firing out an honest Financial Advisor from his job, the other employees in DVC are terrified that if they do their honestly it will not be good for them. In April, 2008, AK Jain was transferred from Maithon to the DVC HQs in Kolkata without any notice or explanation. On 16th April, 2008 Jain received a call in his official residence on his mobile phone saying –“ami tomaar baap, aeso tumi kolkata, tomaar chamra beriye nebo. Saala, tomaar parivaar samet tomake ek baare merre shesh korey debo” (I am your father, you come to Kolkata, I will take out your skin from your body and shall finish you along with your family”. Jain immediately filed a complaint to the Maithon (Jharkhand) Police and requested the S.P of Dhanbad for an immediate action. While Jain joined at DVC HQs at Kolkata on 22nd April, 2008, the Deputy Chief Vigilance Officer released a charge sheet consisting of 12 questions against Jain the same day. Had the management decided to transfer and charge sheet together? All the questions of the allegation were absurd and were prepared for mental agony. All the serious charges were related with the purchase of 1200 bags cement for urgent construction works in a sub-station at Purulia one year back. Instead of using any local cement he preferred using Birla cement in spite of that he was tackled with these absurd questions. It was a planned crafty move of such unfound allegations so that before finding an answer you back out and become desperate to leave the battlefield. But his power strengthened more after it. We can be removed from any job but we will react to every wrong/ill design of the management. Can an officer who stopped coal blocks from being sold and saved crores of rupees in interest of the Nation, cheat in buying 1200 bags of cement?
Chief Vigilance Officer guilty.
Gautam Chatterjee, IAS, sustained the post of Chief Vigilance Officer and took promotion in a confidential manner in April, 2008, violating the rules of Govt. of India. Jain pointed out to the Central Vigilance Commission & Ministry of Power and showed his objection by saying that if a CVO will seek promotion in a wrong way, who will stop the bad behaviour of the DVC management? Chatterjee had to deposit back the money to DVC, which he had got by way of accepting his promotion in the rank of Additional Secretary illegally in DVC. Chatterjee’s services from DVC were called back by the GOI and he was sent back to his original cadre Maharashtra.
Central Information Commission’s funny role.
On behalf of the DVC Engineers’ Association, A.K Jain tried to inform the Central Information Commission of the Indian government about: (1) how much money was spent by the DVC in the legal battle against the Financial Adviser Rajesh Kumar? (2) On the single tender basis, DVC gave the contract to whom, when and worth how much? (3) Within the gap of two years, to whom and when did DVC donate more than 1 lac rupees? On 21st January 2009, Central Information Commissioner, Professor M.M Ansari, after the hearing of the case ordered DVC to provide all the available information in the public interest to the President, DVC Engineers’ Association. The Information Commissioner, Ansari in context to the Right to Information Act called an emergency meeting of the senior officers/officials of DVC in the DVC Headquarters at Kolkata on 4th February 2009. The commissioner delivered a good one hour statement on the Right to Information Act. The Commissioner had come to investigate against the neglect of the Right to Information Act by the DVC management or to give a lecture on the Right to Information Act? The right purpose of his trip to Kolkata could not be clear. The management did not lack behind any where in welcoming the guest. On 6th February 2009, the third day after the arrival of professor Ansari in Delhi the management issued two charge sheets against A.K Jain, who had asked for information as per Right to Information Act. Had the visit of the Commissioner increased the morale of the management that after the second day of his return to the capital they believed it to be necessary to attack against the Right to Information Act? This time, the charges were repeated once again, which were imposed on him one year back in context to the purchase of cement. The evidence to this irrational question was produced one year back, so what was the need to ‘throw this question like hammer’ repeatedly? On 15th December 2008, Subrata Biswas had issued same kind of baseless charge sheet. In this charge he was found guilty for publicizing a negative image of the DVC in the media. Jain gave a direct reply to this question –‘highlighting the irregularities of the DVC Chairman was not the violation of the code of conduct as a public servant.’
The first charge sheet issued against A.K Jain was dismissed with the intervention of the Central Vigilance Commission of the then Indian government. At this time there is a letter of justice produced against 4 charge sheets issued against him, but the management is not ready to give a clean chit. Preparation of the siege of the consecutive charge sheets was going on in this manner that he could be involved in the false allegations and dismissed. The ministry of power is aware but till date the matter has not been sorted out and no direction has been passed. It is pertinent to point out the case of Satyendra Dubey, Director Engineer of the National Highway Authority (Gaya unit), who had written a letter to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the PM, GOI informing him about the corruption going on in that project. The PM office did not take any immediate action against corruption but it’s said because of the breach of the privacy of the letter, Satyendra Dubey was murdered on 27th November 2003. The congress was in the opposition and had protested the murder. With the orders of the Supreme Court, Central Vigilance Commission had made a proposal to implement ‘whistle blower act’ to protect the public servants who help in highlighting corruption. The Law Commission had sent the proposal of the implementation of the whistle blower act to the government but the act could not be enacted till date. However, the Central Vigilance Commission has been entrusted by the GOI to take care of the ‘whistle blowers’ through a resolution of the Govt. ’Whistle blower A.K Jain won many ‘battles in his mission’. The point is, where Satyendra Dubey had to become a martyr, A.K Jain has crossed that point and is many steps ahead of him. The enemy of the corrupt men who make scandals, A.K Jain received threatening calls, but why hasn’t any action been taken even after one year. The Chairman of the All India Power Engineers’ Federation, Padmajit Singh sent an application to the Prime Minister, requesting him to withdraw all the allegations against A.K Jain under the guidelines of ‘whistle blower act’ and to take strict action against those who called him and threatened him for his life. Sometimes people call him crazy and sometimes a passionate, because he has always ‘stopped the scandal express by either standing on the track or pulling the chain of the express’. It is possible that if he will not back out from his mission he will either be killed or DVC management will dismiss him from his job. It is also possible, that because of frustration he may lose his mental balance. In a civilized society, people who give importance to advanced technology, advanced conscience and even advanced fair play should upgrade the symbol of honesty.
