MY FAVOURITE PEEVE OF THE MOMENT

As a bureaucrat of some 5 odd years standing, I have realized that the very profile of the job demands and ensures continuous and consistent dialogic interaction with the public at all points of time. And being a part of the police service, one also realizes that this interaction is situated at a space when a person is distressed/disturbed/outraged in his/her private sphere and expects immediate redressal of the same. Of course, the machinery needs to swing into action immediately, but what suffices at the initial moment of agony is a protracted, patient hearing to the person’s issues. However, this is not always the case. The lack of proper infrastructural facilities at the police station, severe staff crunch coupled with exponential work overload often lead to instances wherein the troubles of the people get scant regard. Sadly so, because not only do their problems compound; they also lose faith in the efficacy of the administration to handle their problems. And specifically, when the problems relate to that of crime and criminals, life and property, one can very well imagine the extent of grievance of those people who haven’t been able to set the wheels of police administration in motion. It is precisely to deal with the issues and grievances of those people with the administrative machinery in general, that the idea of having a joint grievance session at the district level comprising of all senior officers of the district was conceptualized by the government  and is being implemented since the last couple of  years  across all the districts of the state.

A beautiful concept indeed..but does it actually work? Having sat through many such sessions, I feel that considering the heavy footfall of the people, their profound expectations and the setting of such sessions, I don’t think the purpose is being served in the true sense of the term. First and foremost, the setting. A motley of senior officers gathered at a conference hall in the morning of the first working day of the week. Some still dealing with weekend blues, some more having made that trip to their native places  have grudgingly trudged back to work and some quite excited to see colleagues and friends from other departments and waiting to catch up on some workplace gossip. Tea does its faithful rounds and so do packets of paan, seasoned betel leaf-the source of survival of many government officials posted along the coast. And if some god fearing officer has chanced to make that early morning temple trip, plates of prasad are dutifully circulated. Of course, with 30 odd officers present in the same room, phones keep incessantly buzzing as do the hum of the orderlies and peons in the background. Frequently, an urgent call comes..the senior officer hastily summons his deputy and leaves. The arrival of the deputy calls for yet another round of tea, chatter and further bonhomie. The scene outside is equally colourful. Media persons are present in full strength to encapsulate the ignored miseries of the people who have come from different parts of the district. Petition writers are seemingly busy drafting out the grievances in the terms and language to ensure that their customers get their due. Touts hover around trying to impress upon the aggrieved their contacts with the who is who of the district machinery and what miracles they can conjure up for a small sum. And then, there are the people. In hundreds, having come from towns, villages and hamlets. Sometimes with their families, sometimes alone. Waiting to get a chance to appear before the movers and shakers and get their work done in a jiffy. Some with genuine issues, some for the heck of it. And with such a gathering at one place, can you keep the hawkers behind? Right from balloons to vegetables to pens to assortments of snacks, the hawkers peddle everything and earn a handsome profit. For where will the people go till they have been heard?Hey, it is the weekly fete for all of them!

But then, the purpose of these sessions is pretty solemn and serious. What has not been redressed at the lower level is grave and requires the immediate attention of the senior officials. But is the purpose met? Not when people in tens and twenties come thronging into a not so big hall with officials cloistered together. Not when everybody is speaking all at once. Not when there is somebody overtly dramatic at your neighbour’s elbow and you are more attracted to his/her antics to pay much attention to the one standing next to you. Not when even the aggrieved are answering phone calls along with your colleagues. Not when the complainant is telling you his story of woe and a pesky media person is jostling his camcorder to capture your repartee. Not when 5 people at once are jostling for your attentions. Not when one of your colleagues is losing his temper at some person for coming up with made-in-air grievance. Not when your colleagues are discussing the current movie in town or that the tea has no milk in it. Not when you are feeling uncomfortable, suffocated, utterly irritated and confused all in one go. The purpose is definitely way off the mark.

I have my sympathies with the people who spend their time and money and make efforts to come to the district headquarters to be heard by the district officials. I so want that their problems get solved; that they don’t make such a trip again as they do at present. But then, there is something so amiss with implementation of this concept in a real life situation. When a person comes to me with an issue, I would like to hear him out in quiet, somber surroundings where I can critically analyse his problem, involve him in a dialogue and then think of something which would be the best possible way to assuage him. Also, I would like to ensure that the person gets his privacy in talking about his issues which may not be possible in such a jamboree kind of setup. Also, I would like to hear out a person at a time and space where my faculties are intact. Not when I am not at peace and comfort with myself. Not when my most favourite peeve of the moment is attending those grievance sessions where I hear less, comprehend little and cannot think of doing much. Simply because, the setting, the atmosphere and the general climate is not so conducive. Yes, one can invoke that magical word that we, the young bureaucrats, are frequently burdened with: motivation!  I do feel severely guilty at times, but then I remind myself that Abraham Maslow also agreed that motivation can have its impact only when the basic, hygiene factors are met and satisfied.

So I console myself, get peeved further and resign myself to attending the next joint grievance session on Monday.