Peaceful agitation program of ‘Dharna’ goes on at Amreli. Staff of Amreli HO hue and cry together and struggle to get rid of undue pressure, abusing language and monarchy of the local administration. It was very encouraging episode to observe that members of two unions set together, brought their Circle Secretaries and other leaders on one carpet and all were shouting slogans of ‘Kamdar Ekta-Jindabad’ in in one voice in front of the Post Office.
Com.Prakash Rathod Circle President AIPEU Gr.C, S.T.Teraiya Org. Gen. Secretary (CHQ) & Circle President P.IV, Rashmin Purohit CS AIPEU Gr.C, R.N.Parmar CS NAPE Gr.C, R.S.Malek CS AIPEU P.IV, S.K.Vaishnav and K.B.Chudasama Asst.CS P.III, Parmar Circle Treasurer NAPE, K.A.Kanada Dnl President and M.P.Mangrolia D/S, B.K.Trivedi DS NAPE and A.J.Pandya President NAPE and members of both unions in big number set on dharna on the evening after office hours at Amreli on 27.01.11. All staff members were present and they directed the leaders in one voice to strongly represent their complaint against rude behaviour, abusing languate and undue pressure by the Postmaster.
When we personally talked with staff regarding details of their complaints, the real picture was unveiled. It was very much shocking to know following facts:
The PM forces postman staff to put signature of addressees to show 100% delivery and keep articles with themselves till the addressee meet them and take delivery. In other words, forged signatures are taken! Postman staff is not allowed to go home till articles are delivered by hook or kook. Postmaster herself also put her signature as recipient of articles and shows as delivered! In case of some EMO of Widows pension or old age pension, wrong remarks as ‘left’ are passed to show no EMO as pending!! Postman staff is called back even after 20.00 hrs and go for delivery if some addressee is available after that time!! PM speaks unparliamentarily and use abusing (unquotable here) language. When an inquiry was held against PM in the matter of complaint against her by staff, all staff has given written statements confirming above said facts. But unfortunately no action has been taken to put curb on such attitude and even a warning is not given for correction. This picture shows that everyone in the administration side is running for achieving such statistics that may satisfy their higher officer. For satisfactory statistics, The PM forces to put forged signature too!! She herself receives articles on behalf of several addressees!! She may be going to deliver at the doorstep of addressee!! Why??? Postmasters are invisibly compelled to show fictitious but glittering figures. Then awards are given!! This is a black shadow behind achievement and awards. Better counseling is the requirement of the day
We thank Shri.M.R.Trivedi who was out of head quarter and busy till 21.30 hrs in RPLI work in village but spared time for representatives of both unions and provided a space for healthy discussion. We presented some proposed solutions and we are hopeful that he will settle the issue. We requested him to refer to the written statements of staff of Amreli HO and ensure that a correct report is sent to the office of Postmaster General so that the pressure of doing forged signatures and objectionable behaviour can be put to notice of the higher officers which may surely justify resentment of agitating staff.
Copies of all such statements and inquiry report have been called for under RTI Act. On receipt of them it will be put to notice of regional office that under psychosis of showing fictitious but attractive figures, Postmasters go to any extent. Circle union also requests other divisions to inform it in their divisions anything is being done beyond rules and such harshness. A healthy and suggestive representation will be made to higher authorities for constructive and corrective action.
It is also expected that the SPO Amreli would make further report to the Regional office after referring to written statements and take action to the extent to which he is empowered as a head of the division.
It is interesting to know here that the Postal Staff College of India, Ghaziabad has organized an interaction programme with the 16 Senior Administrative Grade Officers likely to be promoted to HAG (Chief PMG) on 19.01.2011 from 1430 hours on the topic of “Staff issues in Transformation of India Post”. Com. K. V. Sridharan, General Secretary and Com. D. Theyagarajan, Secretary General FNPO was invited to have interaction on the topic for free and frank discussion to arrive at some agreed solution to the issues concerned. Com. K. V. Sridharan, General Secretary has taken 40 minutes on the following issues which were well received by the senior officers of the department. The gist of his presentation on the problems existing in Project Arrow offices and other modernization programme is furnished below for the notice of our members.
The following issues are not attended or not cared resulting failure in the object of the project arrow and this require immediate correction.
(1) Project Arrow is fine but not succeeded due to operational inefficiency in the absence of adequate staff.
(2) Staffs are compelled to furnish fictitious statistics that become a demoralizing factor.
(3) Project Arrow inspection team guided the offices to enter only the paid MOs relating to Family pension, Old Age pension etc. as MOs received for delivery just to show 100% delivery.
(4) In adequate supply of Computer peripherals, accessories and no power to the Postmaster to incur any expenditure for urgent natures. Inadequacy of printers and almost condemned servers with slow pace available in many Project Arrow offices.
(5) Inadequate personnel deployed for trouble shooting like Systems Administrators to attend the faults.
(6) Even antivirus soft wares are not provided in many circles like Orissa to the computers. There are no proper AMCs. For Generators also there is no AMC and many of them are out of order.
(7) Unscientific fixation of last receipt time. The last receipt should be before 1500 hours. No article should be kept under deposit or shown as delivered or redirected to other town SOs to ensure 100% delivery.
(8) Bar codes to Speed Post articles are sub standard. Duplication of scanning of Speed Post articles must be avoided. The power of RAM should be increased, Spare & Additional accessories must be provided to all offices.
(9) The present measurement of KPI uniform to all offices right from HSG-I to single handed offices is incorrect. This will demotivate the bigger offices where there are chances of return of articles.
(10) The provision of alternative mail route as provided in the blue book and vested with the divisional superintendents for effective conveyance of mails is not at all adhered anywhere. Only the DMSL is adhered. The provision of Citizen Charters D + 2 is not maintained.
(11) Citizen Charter’s meetings should be conducted as post office levels by divisional heads. So that the public can ventilate their pleasure and displeasure in the presence of concerned Postmasters.
(12) There are contrary in citizen’s Charter and norms fixed by the Department. For example for registration of Savings Certificate, it is 10 mts per registration as per the norms. Where as it is 7 minutes per certificate as per citizen charters. There should not be difference in norms.
(13) Now settlement of SB claims in finally vested with Postmasters. The time limit as per citizen charter & KPI disturbed the practicability in disposal of claims.
(14) PPF & Savings certificates involve more time. They should not be brought under multipurpose Savings Bank Counters. Separate counters must be there. No other work other than Savings Bank should be added in the Multi purpose Savings Bank Counters.
(15) Postmasters posted in the project arrow offices must be given with systems training so that they can trouble shoot the minor cases if it warrants avoiding dislocation.
(16) There is no security or no queue facilities in Project Arrow phase I & II offices. It resulted in unwarranted arguments to decide who the first customer is. There is no safety.
(17) The enhancement of counter working hours without realizing the difficulties to 7 hours in many places forced the PO to keep open the office beyond working hours. The physical strain of sitting continuously for 7 hours before counter in computer has not been taken note of. This inhuman decision frustrated the employees much.
(18) Entrusting the undelivered articles to PRI (P), directing the Postman to deliver even registered letter to neighbour or any one, compelling the postmen to obtain mobile number of addresses, collecting authorization letters etc, issuing chare sheets without studying the realities are resulted in setback. Mere policing will not yield desired results. Better counseling is the requirement of the day.
(19) Frequent statements, compelling the Postmaster to check e-mails 3 to 4 times, furnishing report once in a hour – All these adversely affected his supervisory’ duties and the time is being wasted only in collecting such information and forwarding them.
(20) Non updating the soft wares. The patches for Foreign Post revised rates not dispatched till today. In Delhi, no MPCM is having the facility of booking of VP articles under concessional rates for printed books.
(21) The e-mo software is now over leaded. Many paid e-mos are now shown as unpaid. The System Administrators are compelled to clear the mistakes. Before introducing the software, the capacity must be assessed properly.
(22) If LAN/WAN/Broad Band does not function, the PMs are compelled to go other offices to send reports, Accounts & MIS etc.
(23) No doubt, it is feel good outside. But inside, still old furniture etc to delivery staff and other staff. When the project is taken, it should be for all.
(24) Unnecessary calling of explanations from the Postmaster and take notice of their lapses for non extraction of Speed Post net data on account of operation errors.
(25) Practically there is no counting of unaccountable articles. Average and incorrect figures are furnished. This should be deleted from DET.
(26) Series of letters & e-mail received on SB transfer, claims & closures. Scores will be deducted in KPI. This demotivates the staff.
(27) Many local instructions are issued daily confusing the operative staff. Sequential day ending process has been changed twice in many circles.
(28) EMO software again proved as half baked with various bugs which required huge rectification. Soft wares are not able to deal such huge data. 2.5 lakhs e-mos were shown as unpaid which were booked 1 year before.
(29) Handling of plenty of soft wares and multi log in by single user causing tiresome and often failures resulting chain of distress to the PAs and supervisors.
(30) Virtually there is no help from the regional office except questioning; Remote assistance is the best way for trouble shooting.