IRCS at the crossroads - II

By Soma Basu

NEW DELHI, NOV. 2. According to Dr. Subhash Gupta, Joint Secretary (JS) of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) - who has been transferred to Guwahati as in-charge of the North-Eastern Regional Office - Dr. Vimala Ramalingam, IRCS Secretary-General, brought her people from Chennai and unilaterally created 30-odd new posts violating several provisions of the Act and bearing an extra annual liability of Rs. 40 lakhs. As per rules, the Secretary-General has no powers to create posts, only the Managing Body (MB) has to create posts, appoint a selection committee and recommend appointments.

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) was convened by Dr. Ramalingam on September 25 after a lapse of several years. But her opponents have attacked even this as a `farce'. The business session was rushed through in 75 minutes - instead of the usual procedure of three days - and did not take stock of last 12 years' performance. Dr. Gupta alleged that her staff updated fiscal records only up to March 2000 instead of reflecting her period of work from April 2000 to March 2001.

When contacted, Dr. Ramalingam explained that financial records up to March 2000 were set right. When asked about the criticism why only the single year of her stint was omitted, she said it was decided to complete the unfinished task of a decade first (1990-91 to 1999-2000) which by no means was easy.

``The MB is the supreme authority of the IRCS for every single administrative and financial matter but Dr. Ramalingam is appointing people, bypassing the MB,'' rued Mr. Dilip Kumar Choudhury, an MB member.

Dr. Ramalingam, however, refutes such charges. In her words, she is a victim for three reasons - her gender; her drive to reform things and discipline the staff who got used to a decade's `no- work' culture and; Dr. Subhash Gupta, the disgruntled JS, who too had applied for the same post but was not shortlisted.

In fact, his transfer to Guwahati this September is also controversial. According to the IRCS Act, the post of the JS is non-transferable and only Delhi-based. Dr. Gupta claims that he is a victim of Dr. Ramalingam's high-handedness because he constantly tried to ``explain to her the rules of the Society.''

Not wanting to get into the transfer issue, Dr. Ramalingam asserted: ``I belong to a respectable, well-to-do family and do not need this job to fill up my treasury. I am here with a sense of devotion and sincerity and have undertaken several innovative and stringent measures to the discomfort of some.''

Interestingly on June 13, 1997, Mr. George Fernandes, then a Member of Parliament, wrote to the then Prime Minister, Mr. I.K. Gujral, ``Will you take some interest in the affairs of the IRCS and take steps to remedy the situation.'' Based on representations from former SGs, including Major-Gen. (Retd.) S.S. Maitra, who expressed concern over the IRCS ``disintegrating fast''. Mr. Fernandes warned that if people went to Court, the President's office would be drawn in. Four years later, his words ring true.

The Society is frazzled by inefficiency of more than a decade and it is difficult for it to turn the corner suddenly. Yet, Dr. Ramalingam and her close aides said they were determined to stay the reform course and avoid damaging controversies.

(Concluded)

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : Cong. studying similar laws in States
Next     : U.S. diluting Pak.'s importance