Did We Know Our Room Was Full of Dust - II ?

         The Govts both Central as well as State are equally responsible for this messy situation. But when we talk of govts it does not necessarily mean only the Political Party that is managing the Govt - both Central and at the State level has failed but it is the whole admnistrative set up right from  Top to bottom i.e from Chief Secy to the various departmental Heads, Commissioners, District Collectors, Health Commissioners, Tehsildars, Medical Suprindents, CMOs, lowest serving babu and the store incharge in the hospital have failed.

         All these shortages that the citizens are facing now are an outcome of admnistrative failure . By now the pictures of Indians dying without oxygen, lying in the corriodrs of hospitals, people being cremated in hundreds are all over the world and we have a made a mockery of ourselves. From suppliers of vaccines we have over night become a country needing Oxygen from all over to save the countrymen. 

     Numerous PILs have been filed with the HCs regarding mismangement at State levels.

    The Supreme Court, therefore,  on Tuesday started fresh proceedings in the suo moto case registered to examine the issues faced by the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  During the hearing, the SC bench said that while high courts were in a better position to monitor situations in individual states, the SC cannot sit quietly during the crisis.  " At the time of a national crisis, the SC cannot be a mute spectator," the bench said.   The SC bench further asked the Centre to clarify its plan for two things - the use of central resources like the army to expand medical facilities and the pricing of vaccines.

Now, If the HCs and SC have to intervene and take up the cause of Indian citizens suo moto, and state categorically that they cannot be a mute spectator, it clealry indicates that the EXECUTIVE has failed in performing its duties.  

This is the easiest thing that any Govt could do in such situations- utilise Indian armed forces resources to mitigate the crisis. It has often done so in past - used armed forces' aircrafts, its manpower, hospitals and doctors etc during the crisis.

But the point is - Why is it that those who are involved in running the Govt's administrative machinery do not TRY TO LEARN THE SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES that have made  the Armed forces the finest organisation in the country ?.

Despite all the problems plaguing the society, The armed forces have largely been able to maintain their efficiency, effectiveness and offcourse credibility. 

But our Govts have preferred, in times of need , to only use armed forces' resources but turned a blind eye towards learning their Systems and procedures related to Logistic management ; regarding Health care , casualty treatment and evacuation, supply of Rations, clothing, equipment repair and maintenance, skill development, and so on. 

 Those managing the Govt administrative machinery have never bothered to enquire as to how armed forces provide health care to  serving soldiers, their families and veterans, both during peace and in operational areas and as to how do we maintain such high standards in our Dispensaries, Advanced Dressing Stations, Field Ambulance Units, Military hospitals, Base Hospitals and Command Hospitals. 

 They have never enquired as to ; How do armed forces maintain and repair their equipment, Rifles, Tanks, Machine guns, Big artillery guns, lacs of vehicles ? And - What is the system that the armed forces follow to maintain such high standards of equiment management ?

 Its surely not easy to maintain troops and equipment deployed all over the country right from Nagaland to Gujarat and Siachen to Chennai spread over thousands of kms that too in some of the most inhospitable areas.

Is it not even worth a study and enquiry as to how do the armed forces maintain their equipment, provide health care and so on.

The policy makers and those who manage the civil administration must realise that armed forces are an Equipment oriented organisation besides being manpower oriented, they have colossal amount of Equipment and manpower that needs to be maintained, repaired, and kept Fighting fit.

Many companies in private sector have not felt shy of picking good things from armed forces and if any armed forces officer goes through the CII- EXIM Bank Business Excellence Model programme or even ISO 9000 process , he would notice how much help he can render to the Govt bodies in making their administration efficient and effective.

 Whatever may be the cause that these Govt officials advertently or inadvertently neglected to learn from armed forces till now but this is the right time to do so. 

  I was amazed when I dialled 1075, the so called Covid Control Center established by the State Govt and had a conversation with the man who picked up the phone. He had no clue of things and it was worse than an Information Center. It would be grossly wrong to call these as Covid Control Centers, they are as a matter of fact worse than a Tourist Information Center.

 Call the armed forces  and ask them to set up a  Covid Command and Control Center in each city and district , this would be much more beneficial for the people who are suffering as well as for those managing the administration, instead of just requisitioning the armed forces equipment. 

  Will those managing the system listen? 

  The gravity of situation is such that If they don't, then public will soon make them listen.

  Todays situation reminds me of what Churchil had said on the eve of our Independence. He said ;  

               "Power will go to rascals, rogues, freebooters. . . .