COVER STORY: The Invisible Faces

THE LIGHT OF ANDAMANS | VOL 36 | ISSUE 03 | 01 NOV 2012

COVER STORY:

The Invisible Faces

As mentioned, there are a few faces hidden from the public eye, wielding supreme power to maneuver and have the rudder in their control. From Shakti Sinha, then Secretary Shipping, who have been keen protecting his Captain and flock from all harms had a proper hand in one of the cases - swindling of ration money of the crew of two ships. It's a clear case of fraud and DG Audit has also raised queries which still remains unanswered.

The Deputy Director of Shipping Services purposefully kept silent and played to the tunes of the Director to achieve his goal of a clean ACR for UPSC for the post of Deputy Director. The post was intentionally kept vacant for numbers of years and was filled by promoting the Manager (ISM), who managed to get back door entry to the Directorate as Manager (ISM) on deputation and subsequently got absorbed in that post with the connivance of A&N Admn. He has now been promoted on the basis of amended RR for the post of Deputy Director of Shipping Services which proposes composite method for selection.

It is imperative to note that the post of Assistant Labour Welfare Officer in the Directorate of Shipping Services, over which such hue and cry was made by the Director to retain C J Antony, is not the post of A&N Admn but a post of Central Labour Commissioner, Ministry of Labour, New Delhi created under the statutory provisions of Factory Act.

The initial decision of the A&N Admn to transfer Antony, Assistant Labour Commissioner as Labour Welfare Officer in the Directorate of Shipping Services vides Order No.3472 dated 06th October 2004 against this ex-cadre (central ministry) post was a total violation of recruitment procedure. Later, when on the appeal of C J Antony, Central Administrative Tribunal in respect of O.A.No.475 of 1993 had passed order to regularize the adhoc service against the existing vacancy of Assistant Labour Commissioner in the Office of Labour Commissioner & DET, Port Blair, it was not proper to retain him in the Directorate of Shipping Services. Instead the DSS should have requested the Central Labour Commissioner, New Delhi to expeditiously fill the post of Assistant Labour Welfare Officer. Why the Director was keen to have him on the seat needs a proper reply. However, after much hue and cry, he was shunted out. But he played a key role in the procurement process as Procurement Officer without any technical competence.

Six years in a seat should have raised enough heat for the Planning guy, who has been stand-relieved last week. The genius who looked after the whole DSS from planning, selection, inspection, operations and even procurement was the kingpin of the complete operations. It has to be seen whether he evades the net.