Dr.
Cheriyath Jyothi B.Sc., M.B.,B.S.,
theCloister,
nr
rockPark, Venkode P.O.,
Thiruvananthapuram
– 695028, IN
previous
address : vellumadam, aamayida,
ambalapuzha
– 688561.
No.2012/sw/05 05/03/12
“SAINIK
WELFARE”
issue
of ex-service man identity card
released
short service commissioned officer, army medical corps
cheriyath
jyothi ( number rank)
A
1. I
recently got my registration with the zilla sainik welfare office
shifted from alapuzha to thiruvananthapuram. this letter is on my
experiences with the zilla sainik welfare office thiruvananthapuram
in the above context. this is NOT a complaint – i am just making an effort to put things on record.
2. my
application for registration with the sainik welfare office
thiruvananthapuram was complete in all respects and had all the
required documents like the NOC from alappuzha and the residence
certificate from karakulam panchayath and I had produced my release
certificate for verification. but there was a snag - the photographs
I had produced were not exactly the type one can use on an official
document they had a greenish back ground. I readily accepted the
fact without any demur.
3. the
next week I went back to the zilla sainik welfare office with a
proper set of photographs. The formalities were finished on the same
day. but when I was handed over the newly created identity card I
found that my rank was entered as “xxx XXXXX”. I pointed out to
the concerned staff member, of the thiruvananthapuram zilla sainik
welfare office ( I will call him mr. P for ease of reference ) that
this was not the proper way to write it and he gracefully accepted
the fact.
4. mr.
P's immediate response was to camouflage the letters xxx with white
paint, the present day version of “thuppalum
kootti mayikkal”
of olden times. when I told the gentleman that it is awkward carrying
an identity card which has been tampered with this way, he said he
will get the erasure endorsed by the zilla sainik welfare officer who
will put his signature again to regularize the correction on the
card.
5. back
home I telephoned the zilla sainik welfare officer and told him that
it will be embarrassing carrying an identity card with a correction
in it and being the identity card relating to the defence services
it could land me up in trouble and suggested that my ex-service
identity card may be made on a fresh card after canceling the one
with the correction. the zilla sainik welfare officer replied that he
will look into the matter.
6.
I went back after the vishu holidays to collect the card and met mr.
P again. he said he will get the erasure in the card endorsed by the
zilla sainik welfare officer. I told him about my telephonic
conversation with the ZSWO about cancelling the card with the erasure
and making a new one. mr. P went upstairs to meet the ZSW officer
7. mr. P. then came up with a story
that he cannot trace either the identity card or the papers I had
filled in any where and suggested that I go back; he will look for
the papers and the I card and once he finds them will inform me and
then I could come back to him again and collect the I card.
8. i did not wait for
the invitation from mr. P and was back in the sainik welfare office
thiruvananthapuram the next day itself. mr. P and co. claimed that the papers and the card were still missing. when just before 1300 hrs i left the zilla sainik welfare office to return after the lunch interval, mr P and Co., were still looking for the missing documents.
9.
when I came back after lunch earlier than I
had planned I found that all was well in the zilla sainik welfare
office front – the papers have been “found”,
the card with the correction was canceled and I was handed over a
freshly made identity card this time without any corrections.
10. I
am afraid it was not just like that that the papers came back.
before
leaving the zilla sainik welfare office for lunch I had pointed out
to mr. P that they have endorsed on my release papers that the
identity card has been issued to me and if they cannot find it they
will have to give it in writing that
the I-card has gone missing from their office and the same can only
be handed over to me once the “search operation” succeeds.
( and
after that they can keep on looking for the card in the two almirahs
in the room for as long as they please. - as they were supposed to
be doing for almost two days now.)
11. I
think that was the magic wand which
caused the icard and the papers to come out of their hiding place
– it would have been a bit awkward giving in writing that the card
and the files had gone missing from their office and could not be
traced.
B
by
the way I was on the rolls of the indian army for slightly more than
ten years. I was in field service for seven out of those ten years;
and of those seven years in field I was in HAA for more than one
year. my peace posting was in a remote central indian village where I
was in charge of a 15 bed section hospital as the sole officer,
medical or otherwise, for three years.
what
I am trying to impress on you is that, that I
have earned my ex-service man credentials the hard way. By issuing
me an identity card it is not exactly a favour
that the Zilla sainik welfare office is doing me.
I
am going to keep my ex-service man identity card as one of my prized
possessions - that is until some one manages to take it away from me
in a proper manner and not by pretending that the file has gone
missing.
C
in
the above context all I can do is assure you that I will never ever
come to your set up for any of the so called “welfare”
that your department is supposed to be doling out. I dont need it,
for, as I have proved time and again while in the army service as
well as in civilian life, I am quite capable of looking after
myself.
thank
you very much.
(
C. Jyothi )
To
the
director of sainik welfare, kerala.
thiruvananthapuram
addendum
some time ( a couple of weeks ) back I had been to a csd canteen in thiruvananthapuram.
the soldier at the gate who checked my identity was extremely nice to me, busrug. he produced a shopping basket from no where, in fact he managed to repair a damaged one and made it usable, and gave it to me - others were running round in circles for there was a big crowd and all the baskets were in use.
I had chosen just four articles ( some tea 2 x 250gms, some soft drink concentrate kissan squash x 2, a bottle of shampoo, ponds talc) for purchase and I stood at a special counter which I am allowed access to as per rules to get the articles billed and make payment.
immediately I joined the Queue the civilian commander of the canteen, who was standing by, said they were closing that particular counter for lunch.
the woman at the head of the queue asked him when they were going to come back.
the commander said they cannot say anything about it – “you go and join the other Q”.
she decided to wait till they came back after lunch and started spreading out her purchases on the table, while I left the things i had picked up to purchase there itself and walked out empty handed.
with my profound knowledge of the way in which things function in this sort of situations, I could have assured you one thing - after “going for lunch” nobody will come back and the counter is not going to be manned - that is till I leave the place.
so by staying back and waiting, I would have been jeopardizing the chances of the other eligible people as well. i am a veteran of this sort of experiences and when i decided to quit i knew what i was doing.
the perspective
as I entered the csd canteen that day, I had noticed at least two plain clothes thugs inside the store.
and in fact one of them got away immediately he thought I was going to give him an interesting time. no chance, not at all; I do every thing to avoid a scuffle in some one else's territory and there is no question of my initiating it on my own.
when I came in, that was while I was picking up the things to be purchased from the racks and the plain clothes goons were around, the civilian commander was inside the canteen, where the goods are kept. He must have positioned himself at the counter later on.
I know for certain that the civilian commander was not at this counter initially for as I was picking up my things inside, he was making some loud comments to his staff about the heat. yes, he was sweating profusely; but the sweating could also be in anticipation of the task ahead which he has been entrusted with.
and in deed, before giving it up and leaving I had been to the canteen officer. He gave the matter some serious thought, scratching his forehead with his left hand, and then gave the decision - I can go to one of the other counters.
my rough estimate is that the average number of items purchased per person on such days, that is when things are available, will come to around 20 to 30 and with the large crowd present that means to get my four items cleared I would have been made to wait for ages.
thank you very much officer; but NO, thanks!
