Postal Diary -3 by-Ajit Rajbangshi ADVANCE
Everybody knows him as Jailan ka. From top to lower level officials of the Head Post Office and the Supdt. sir also called him as Jailan ka. Jailan working as Gr-D runner of the Head Post Office. In the past, he used to carry the mail bags by bicycle, now the department has provided Hero Honda motorcycle for carrying mails bags. Now-a-days Jailan ka carries bags of more than six SOs. Jailan ka is very much proud of riding bike having Departmental symbol, and when he loads the mail bags on the bike, his feels delight satisfaction in his core and gets inspiration to do his entrusted duty. He himself used to think what were the days of riding bicycle and now what a unbelievable change, Hero Honda bike ! He used to forget all his personal problems when he rides the departmental bike – he used to forget that he has two wives, four children, old father-mother.
On completion of official duty, he has kept the departmental bike in office garage and handed over the key of the bike to the Head Postmaster Shukla sir. After that, Jailan ka has stepped into a different world and has thought a while and then all the domestic problems have struck in his mind one by one like the reel of cinema. There is no rice at home, no sugar, no kerosene oil. The gas cylinder is about to be empty. The kerosene stove is also lying damaged. His second wife and two children suffering from fever since two-three days, needed medicine for them and there is no end of problems. He has brought out his money purse from pocket and opened it, no, just rupees two hundred. What will he do by this Rs. 200 ? It’s just 17th of the month, and 13 days of the month yet to be elapsed. How will he manage ? Will he borrow from someone ? But who will give him ? Is there anyone from whom he has not already borrowed ? none.
Jailan ka has proceeded to Accounts Branch of the Head office. Postmaster Shukla sir and APM (A/cs) Choudhury sir are discussing something. He stands near the door some time. Shukla sir looked into him and called, “come come Jailan ka, how are you ?”
“I am ok sir, but my pocket is not ok sir”- told Jailan ka. Saying that he has asked to Choudhury sir, “Sir is there any bill in my name ?”
“What bill Jailan ka ? do you apply for any advance ?” –asked APM (A/cs) Choudhury.
“Actually sir, all the amounts of monthly salary have already been spent away. Now my pocket is fully empty. Sir, is there any way to get some bill in advance ?” Jailan ka added. This is the problem with Jailan ka. In the middle of the every month, Jailan ka used to come to Choudhury sir and ask as such. Once he advised to take LTC advance. Accordingly he applied. LTC was granted easily. But, instead of availing LTC facility to visit proposed place, the whole amount of advance had spent for family’s needs. After one month when he was asked to submit bill with tickets, he fell in puzzle, what to do ? After some days he was ordered to refund the whole amount of LTC advance with penal interest. Disciplinary action was also initiated against him. It was happen in the last year.
“Do you want to take LTC ?” - asked Choudhury.
Jailan ka shouts “Oh, no no sir. is there any other way sir ?”
“Jailan ka, you can take advance from GPF.” Jailan ka immediately has moved to nearby Divisional office and approached to concerned branch. After getting necessary forms filled-up he himself entered in the chamber of ASPOs sir.
“What’s problem with you Jailan ka ?”- diverting attention from a file and raising head towards him ASPOs sir asked.
“Sir, GPF advance. No other way sir. Pocket is totally empty, at home no rice, no gas cylinder, wife and two sons suffering from fever, no way -no way sir ” - Jailan ka has wept and said. ASPOs sir has called concerned PA of the office, “Mr. Swargiary, please put up it”.
Till money remains in pocket, Jailan ka has worked silently and maintains sincerity in arrival at office as well as departure . With the money of GPF advance, about 3-4 months run smoothly. On the next one month, on getting monthly salary Jailan ka purchases one new saree for his 2nd wife without informing to 1st one. In the night when she comes to his bed he silently presents the new gift and asks to keep hidden for some months. But how she will keep hidden ? After a week, both the wives have to attend in a marriage ceremony and the second one could not keep herself away from wearing the new saree. Both of them are ready, but on looking the new saree, the first one immediately becomes angry and starts hue and cry. Jailan ka is in the room. First wife asks him angrily, “Am I not your wife ? Why have you not given new saree to me ? Why ??”. There is no other way to Jailan ka. He promises, he will must buy a new saree on next day. In the next day after completion of office duty Jailan ka goes to Accounts Branch and requests APM (A/cs) Choudhury, “Sir , please help sir, great problem at home , advise me sir somehow I can get any kind of advance from the department?” He narrates the happenings at his home regarding new saree. Choudhury sir says, “Jailan ka , what will I advise you ? You have already taken advance for motor cycle, land purchase, house building , LTC advance, GPF advance and what left ? Two months beforehand you have taken festival advance. How can I advise you Jailan ka ?”
Postmaster Shukla sir hearing the matter says, “Jailan ka one left, you can take medical advance.”
On day next morning, absence of Jailan ka has been reported to Postmaster by the Mail PA. Jailan ka did not attend in his duty. Who will carry the mails ? What happened ? Mail PA tries to contact Jailan ka over phone ; but could not. After a while Nipu, eldest son of Jailan ka has come to office and informed that Jailan ka is hospitalized.
“Strange, what happened ?”- Postmaster asks getting shocked. “Stomach pain Sir ?” – Nipu answers normally. On the evening, Jailan ka has attended Divisional Office and prayed to SPOs sir, “Sir , I am hospitalized . Too much stomach pain sir. Kindly grant medical advance for ten thousand rupees sir, I have no alternative way sir….” Looking the ill condition of Jailan ka, SPOs sir has asked the PA of medical branch to take immediate action. Accordingly, medical advance has been granted. As per rule he should submit the concerned medical bill within stipulated periods, but Jainal ka unable to submit any bill for final sanction and after four months he has been ordered to refund the whole amount of money received as advance otherwise the amount will be adjusted from his pay with paying one rupee till recovery is over. Jailan ka again fall in puzzle what to do, how he will refund rupees ten thousand ? Again if the amount is adjusted from his next month’s salary then how will he run his family with only one rupee ? Earlier he rushed to Choudhury sir in such situation. But today he feels hesitation to meet to Choudhury sir. No no. The mails bags yet to be ready and he is thinking in the Mail Branch.
“O Jailan ka, do you know last night our Canteen Babu, Das da has expired ?”- Bhabani, the Gr-D official of Mail Branch informs with grief. “What ? ”- Jailan socked. Actually, Canteen Babu had been was suffering from a un-curable decease since last few months. All the staff of the Head Office mourn for his untimely demise. In the meantime, Postmaster Shukla sir called Jailan , “Jailan ka, you know our Canteen Babu has expired yesterday. As his home is on the way of your duty line, please take rupees seven thousand from Treasury and handover to his wife for his funeral purpose.”
In the evening after completing all official formalities at Mail Branch, Jailan ka comes to Accounts Branch and stands beside the APM (A/cs) Choudhury sir and starts to say, “Sir our Canteen Babu died so untimely, his sons and daughters are yet to attain majority. Can his wife apply for his husband’s post ?”.
“Yes, Jailan ka” - Choudhury answers simply without raising his head towards him.
“Sir, I want to know another thing. That if any one of our employees expire, then are their families get that rupees seven thousand ?” –
“Yes, why not ?.”
“Sir, if I will die before retirement then will my family get this amount of rupees seven thousand ?” .
“Yes-Yes. But why are you asking so Jailan ka ? any problem ??”.
“Sir, I have a request for you sir. That amount should not be given to my family. Sir, is not it possible to take that rupees seven thousand myself ?”
“ you ????” - surprised Choudhury sir.
“Yes Sir , in advance. –”
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(‘Postal Diary’ is story like article reflecting lives of Postal employees of India)
( Kindly comment your feedback at - Ajit Rajbangshi, SPM, kamarkuchi SO under Nalbari HO-781347(ASSAM)--//Tel-098591-25146// 08822973987. ajitrajbangshi8@gmail.com).
(Special thanks to Rup Talukdar, Acctt. Divl office, Nalbari, Assam)
Published by : http://sapost.blogspot.in/
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