Chittaranjan Dass, Editor, SAARC Journal of Transport
Superintendant of Police of Bilaspur in Jharkhand, Rahul Sharma (See Pix), reportedly sacrificed his life a few weeks ago for the sake of upholding honesty and a clean conscience. In common parlance, he committed suicide.
A day later IG G.P. Singh read out “selected portions” from an alleged suicide note in which Sharma purportedly complained about “such an interfering boss”. It is of no consequence that G.P. Singh, who was Sharma’s boss, was since moved to police headquarters in Raipur. Notably Assembly elections are due in Chattisgarh towards end of 2013.
Just a few days earlier Sharma had talked to his old college-mate, one Harimohan Thakuriya, thus : “Yaar bahut begaar karwate hain. Koi self respect hi nahin hai. Election ke kharchon ka target abhi se de diya hai. Kya isliye itni padhai karke IPS bana thaa? (They force us to do things. They have no respect for us. They have already given us target to meet their election expenses. Did I study so hard to become an IPS Officer for all this?)
May his noble soul rest in peace, while the nation should pity itself that an honest officer has been sacrificed on the altar of gratification oriented politics in collusion with similar administration.
Who could be more distressed with the fate of Sharma than the goods and passenger vehicle operators of the country. On very holistic principle an army of officials was created through amendments in Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 who were to dedicatedly enforce provisions of this Act in their respective jurisdiction. Till then civil police used to perform this in addition to their other duties. Ironically the State administrations, sub-serving the political bosses, transformed this newly created “enforcement agency” under Motor Vehicles Act, as machinery for collecting revenue/gratification rather than enforcing the law. The officials of this force, like Regional Transport Officers (RTOs), Assistant. Regional Transport Officers (ARTOs), District Transport Officers (DTOs) et al. began to be given targets for collection. These officials, across the country diligently meet their TARGETS and in turn they make all kind of compromises with enforcement of Act/Rules.
IF OVERLOADING OF TRUCKS IS PERPETRATING DESPITE STRICT ANTI-OVERLOADING PROVISIONS IN THE ACT, IT IS BECAUSE OF THE NOTORIOUS SYSTEM OF TARGET FOR RECOVERY.
Argue with even the lowest level official of Transport Department and he loudly retorts, “Go! Do whatever you wish to do or you can do” and add “Whatever he was collecting goes up to the Top”.
Any wonder these postings and transfers of RTOs, ARTOs, etc. has attached price tag and intervention by political bosses is rampant. The PITY is that so far no Rahul Sharma could be born among the enforcement officials of transport departments in the States, across the country. They instead are priding publicly over MEETING THE TARGET because that turns them into blue-eyed boys of the department, implying that none of their routine shady deals for personal enrichment would be taken note of by the bosses.
Just think! Target which cost the nation the life of an honest IPS officer had a time cycle of five years, normal duration between two elections. BUT TARGET FOR RTOs etc. is on 24 x 7 basis. Curse be on commercial vehicle operators who are timidly suffering these dirty robots (with no conscience) collecting TARGETS in road transport sector.
Superintendant of Police of Bilaspur in Jharkhand, Rahul Sharma (See Pix), reportedly sacrificed his life a few weeks ago for the sake of upholding honesty and a clean conscience. In common parlance, he committed suicide.
A day later IG G.P. Singh read out “selected portions” from an alleged suicide note in which Sharma purportedly complained about “such an interfering boss”. It is of no consequence that G.P. Singh, who was Sharma’s boss, was since moved to police headquarters in Raipur. Notably Assembly elections are due in Chattisgarh towards end of 2013.
Just a few days earlier Sharma had talked to his old college-mate, one Harimohan Thakuriya, thus : “Yaar bahut begaar karwate hain. Koi self respect hi nahin hai. Election ke kharchon ka target abhi se de diya hai. Kya isliye itni padhai karke IPS bana thaa? (They force us to do things. They have no respect for us. They have already given us target to meet their election expenses. Did I study so hard to become an IPS Officer for all this?)
May his noble soul rest in peace, while the nation should pity itself that an honest officer has been sacrificed on the altar of gratification oriented politics in collusion with similar administration.
Who could be more distressed with the fate of Sharma than the goods and passenger vehicle operators of the country. On very holistic principle an army of officials was created through amendments in Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 who were to dedicatedly enforce provisions of this Act in their respective jurisdiction. Till then civil police used to perform this in addition to their other duties. Ironically the State administrations, sub-serving the political bosses, transformed this newly created “enforcement agency” under Motor Vehicles Act, as machinery for collecting revenue/gratification rather than enforcing the law. The officials of this force, like Regional Transport Officers (RTOs), Assistant. Regional Transport Officers (ARTOs), District Transport Officers (DTOs) et al. began to be given targets for collection. These officials, across the country diligently meet their TARGETS and in turn they make all kind of compromises with enforcement of Act/Rules.
IF OVERLOADING OF TRUCKS IS PERPETRATING DESPITE STRICT ANTI-OVERLOADING PROVISIONS IN THE ACT, IT IS BECAUSE OF THE NOTORIOUS SYSTEM OF TARGET FOR RECOVERY.
Argue with even the lowest level official of Transport Department and he loudly retorts, “Go! Do whatever you wish to do or you can do” and add “Whatever he was collecting goes up to the Top”.
Any wonder these postings and transfers of RTOs, ARTOs, etc. has attached price tag and intervention by political bosses is rampant. The PITY is that so far no Rahul Sharma could be born among the enforcement officials of transport departments in the States, across the country. They instead are priding publicly over MEETING THE TARGET because that turns them into blue-eyed boys of the department, implying that none of their routine shady deals for personal enrichment would be taken note of by the bosses.
Just think! Target which cost the nation the life of an honest IPS officer had a time cycle of five years, normal duration between two elections. BUT TARGET FOR RTOs etc. is on 24 x 7 basis. Curse be on commercial vehicle operators who are timidly suffering these dirty robots (with no conscience) collecting TARGETS in road transport sector.
