I prepared to live still in the office and worry. A telephone call was received by my liaison officer and one agency working for the company was on the other end enquiring if I could change my departure as a government order was to be discussed. I agreed and asked my officer to change my ticket for the next day and explained the reason. I informed my wife in Calcutta to get her free from any worry, and this was uncommon for me. The person came in changing his own travel plan to his home town and we together went to meet a minister of state who asked if my company could take up a flyover project which was regretted by another PSU and was delayed unnecessarily. I confidently replied in affirmative and within one hour came back to the guest house to spend the night. I called Delhi Centre in charge of the meeting next morning at 9.00AM which was a Sunday. I discussed the details of the project with the executing agency and also fixed our share of profit before processing the proposal which was of Rs 104 Cr, a moral booster and unheard in this company for long. My liaison officer was very happy who was directed not to disclose this news now to anyone. I also called the representative of the agency and asked my liaison officer to collect the offer from the authority which was giving the order. The next day was very hectic for me and for me this was very exciting and totally new, and this was also very worrying as a first measure breakthrough after taking over the rein of the company within three months. Internally my organization was in shatter and no dependable or reliable person was known to me. Even the Delhi in charge was meeting me for the first time totally unknown, and I had to depend on him. However, the next day I told him to move stepwise so that no rules were violated by us as the case may be checked by different government agencies normally seen in the past particularly for such a large order where generally grafts could be involved. Finally I jumped to conclude to go ahead with due precaution.
I found even the Delhi in charge not efficient but intelligent. I disclosed our success in the Calcutta office and called ED who was the technical man available, very experienced but totally spent energy and would say after every serious discussion, "Sir, you should not bother me. Nothing will happen in this company. I am tired and allow me to VRS which I applied for but it was not sanctioned." I got irritated and replied, "Alright you go and bring your application right now which will be sanctioned within a few minutes. Don't bother how the work will be managed and anyone available in your place can do the job along with me. You perhaps think that my background is not from the project and so I will fail. Give up this thinking and all people here with engineering degrees can apply mind and get a job done. I don't want to listen to your grievances on every occasion when serious works are in hand." ED got the shock of his day as he never expected such a reaction and left my office. Immediately one technical officer who was practically working as my Technical Assistant (TA) came in after listening to my raised voice, as he experienced that I didn't lose my temper easily. He asked me, "What happened sir?" I said, "I called this gentleman to discuss some modalities to proceed with the contract I finalized in Delhi two days back, a big order the company didn't see in the last many years and the fellow is crying for VRS sanctioning. I have asked him to apply today itself and sanction before leaving office in the evening." "Sir, please pardon him as this has become his nature and he hardly takes any decision and raises questions many of which are irrelevant. He has been raised to this position due to the Bengal lobby in the office and he deals with this group most of the time. Also he incites them and that is the reason the Director is scared of him and listens to whatever he says. He is the only senior technical person here who goes for discussion with senior persons in other companies and influences locally. He looks after mainly legal cases and avoids technical decisions which must be the reason for talking about his VRS." "Tell me other technical people who can work in his place?" I inquired. "There are two people in charge in Bhilai and another one is in Bangalore who are seniors," he replied. I reverted back to the new contract for discussion and assigned him the responsibility of follow up of the job in Delhi at least twice a day and update me.
The message of rebuking ED spread fast and my AGM (Personnel) came in a short while to know the details and said, "Sir, ED is a cunning person and he can disturb us in working. He has already informed the Director about the new contract who has asked him to delay all matters. In my opinion let us continue normal and watch what he does." I was more furious but controlled and started talking about moving out ED from the present responsibilities and shunted him to insignificant position and bring someone from another place. But again he suggested to wait as the person would melt down to his level in no time as his capabilities were limited and got converted into a babu of office doing paperwork and avoiding any decision making. But ED came with a VRS application in the evening and gave it to me. I went through it and said, "Good but I have slightly changed my mind. I will observe your performance for three months and if it is found satisfactory then VRS will be sanctioned. I don't want to give financial benefits to non-performers as done in other companies, who should in fact suffer till superannuation with poor personal records and no financial gains normally granted. I want you to give me status of all pending legal cases in the company in three days time and discuss with me so that strategy may be devised to deal with them. Company loses much money in prolonged legal cases and is not likely to end up with a favorable outcome." "But you said in the morning to sanction VRS immediately and now you have changed your mind" asked ED. "I have told you the reason and want that all jobs you have been doing must get concluded before VRS is sanctioned. The fact remains that after sanctioning of VRS a person stops working and kills time involving other staff" I clarified. ED left with a huff uttering some ugly words which ignored and smiled. The person didn't realize that I worked as HR head for almost two decades before coming here. But I located few reliable persons around me who could be taken into confidence without any planned move and as a consequential happening.