A thought about Corruption

The corruption is a cancerous deadly decease that affected the society, since human existence.  It is a short cut to amaze money for some, and it is a short cut to get the things done for another.  Actually it is a mutually accepted arrangement where the giver and receiver is responsible.  However many times the givers role is underestimated and focus is given to the receiver and the effort to curb corruption is always focused at the receiver. It is just like to divert the flow of water from lower plain to upper.  Some people are interested in ending corruption, but involved in the business of talking and putting efforts to stop corruption as a ritual, knowingly well that it cannot be stopped.

I am prompted to pen this, when the report seen in HINDU Daily,  about an order of Tamilnadu.  The order mandates prior permission of the government  for an enquiry about corruption charges against any state government employee keeping the state vigilance machinery into a bye stander.   It is a setback for those who dream against corruption and who complaint lack of integrity  in public services.  Interestingly, even the opposition has not raised a single voice of protest.   Those who have stayed in Tamilnadu will vouchsafe the level of massive corruption at various level and most of the major political parties are at the receiving end of massive corruption when they are in power.  Hence this order gives an umbrella of protection to  lower level employees  at government level as I understand.  It does not mean that Kerala is free from corruption.  But I had a false proud that the Dravidian(I mean south Indian) level of corruption is much less in level in quantum compared to other states as I experienced.    Of course I agree that Corruption is corruption and integrity cannot be measured  in scale.  During my childhood days, I had heard that the corruption at Cochin state is much less than in Travancore Stat;  Ara kallan and Mukka Kallan (Half thief, and three fourth thief)

The only way to end corruption is to nib it in the bud. Giving corruption be made a criminal offence.  I doubt, even  Anna Hazard, or Kejriwal might not have thought on these lines.   Then who will bell the cat is the question.  Then can we define small level corruption and large scale corruption and can corruption at certain level can be permit?.  Earlier times, when the post man brings money order used to be paid bakshish/chay pani karcha.  So can we consider the money paid through the agents of RTO office, Registry Office or Village office, or the amount paid to a TTE for accommodating a birth   be treated as Chay pani karcha.

I am mused to look into the corruption at my level as giver or receiver.  The small amount  paid  to Railway employee to accommodate a birth, the small amount of Rs.10/- paid at Madras Railway Reservation Counter, just to know whether onward reservation is ok or not is not a bribe as far as I was concerned at that time.  The timely help was much bigger than the amount paid.  Then smaller or bigger paid many times at various govt offices.  I found that the level of corruption at Jharkhand is much higher than that of Kerala.  But there is a difference experienced people say.  At Jharkhand every thing is fixed and moderated and you pay it, work will be done promptly and correctly.  But in kerala, you pay it, and no guarantee work will be done and that too correctly.  We bof corruption is very low and there are large number of people  who is not associated with corruption.

Later I understood that giving and receiving bribe is also a skill.  All can not do it.  I had an occasion to get a work done at Utkal University , Bhubaneshwar.  The name in the certificate was misspelt. I wanted to correct it.  It was the time that we got married.  So we preferred our destination of honeymoon as Bhubaneswhar.  7 days we stayed at Bhubaneshwar.  The university staff was not corrupt, but no work will be done.  Very lazy people.  On the 7^th day, a message was sent through a peon that I am prepared to give some money as gift.  The officer responsible was pleasantly surprised and the work was done at great speed.  Then how to give the money.  He was afraid and me too.  Ultimately money was paid in the toilet.  Then he was particular that other staff should not know about it.  So to have a cover up operation, I am to distribute cool drinks and snacks  to all the staff and he has to convey to his staff that the work was done speedily as a gesture of cool drink business much before.  She has every reason to complaint that the honey moon was enjoyed in the dusty corridors of University.  In a cinema theatre at Jharkhand, the movie house was houseful.  Had it been in Kerala, no question of negotiation or talking to the Manager.  Upon payment of Rs.50 per ticket extra, chairs were provided in the projector room and tea/snacks at the time of interval.  By any standard, I do not agree that the Rs.50 extra is a bribe.

A driver at Ernakulam Zonal Office  Received a lump sum money for getting the registration of my car got changed to Kerala from Bhopal.  Later it is brought to my notice that the actual amount involved is much lesser than what I have paid.  I really don’t know who cheated whom.  The RTO people on the driver or the driver on me.  I suppose this will not come under corruption.

I had a scooter accident while at North Parur.  A small boy was hurt and his leg had an hairline crack.  Using my connection as the Branch Manager, I could thrash it out, but I was cautioned that the parents of the boy could create problem any time.  At that time I observed that My driving licence had expired.  Now to be on safer side, I got a licence back dated from Madras paying Rs.2000.  I am sure it is really a bribe.

A work is pending with a government office for the last one year.  An outright honest officer will not receive any bribe nor he can get the work done by his subordinate. Is it wrong that I prefer an officer who receive a paltry amount and get the work done or the inefficient outright honest officer.

For valuation of my newly constructed house and fixing the tax,  I was after the Panchayat staff with money.  Somebody made me to believe that if money is not paid,  tax will be at a very higher slab.  I was very upset that he is not ready to receive any money.  All he told was that it is not necessary.  I was little bit upset that I could not make him receive the money for a lesser amount of tax slab.  But I noticed that the tax slab was quite reasonable.

Before concluding, I feel I shall share a few occasions that I have received bribe by way of kind, money or service.

I remember Mr. Mohanan, a contractor customer of my branch helped me to come out of a traffic police case.  In another occasion he supplied a few loads of granite metal to our nearby temple from his quary with out receiving money.  I also remember the face of Mr. Esthapanose, an RTO borrower  who kept a few bags of vegetables, banana chips and ripe banana in the occasion of Onam.  He has not brought it in the previous Onam season and the next season too.   So it can be treated as a gratification of the loan sanctioned.    But I could not refuse the gratification  and ask him to take it back considering his hurt feeling, if I do so.  The quantum was big enough to consume for a small family of mine and my neighbours helped me in this regard.  I also enjoyed the fruit jucie, cake and jam bottles brought by one of the customer during the Christmas season. We were more allured over the cane made beautiful basket which contained the gift than the gift itself.  The basket is still with me.   I also know that a bookshelf I have purchased, while I was at Ernakulam branch was much under invoiced than the actual price.  What about the  customer who brings Alphonse mangoes every year?

In some part of the country, during the deevali season sweets and dry fruits are gifted in abundance.  My family  do not use sweet and how much quantity of dry fruit we can consume.  So it was liberally distributed among staff.   They were not so much enthusiastic  to receive such packets, because they were also gifted.  On one occasion, I had distributed such a packet to one of my staff.  Next day he came with a guilty conscious feeling and told me that there was one gold coin in the packet.  He just could not believe, when I told him that gold coin belongs to him, since I have gifted to him.  I wrote a DO letter to that customer thanking him and advising him not to repeat such practice as the receiver will expect better gift next time.  The letter was written without any expectation of any change in the practice, but for my satisfaction.   My refusal of some such gift have at times annoyed the giver too.  He felt, he is belittled.

I had a customer banking with our bank since 1978 and I joined the bank in 1979.  He used to comment jokingly that he is senior to me.  Once when I was out of office, he put a packet in my drawer and told my sub staff to remind me. It was a cover containing 20 thousand rupee note.  It was a bakshish or speed money lovingly given by the customer for sanctioning one of his limit with record time never happened in his experience.  Eventhough the credit goes to the then  Zonal manager for the speedy disposal of the proposal, I enjoyed the credit.  But handling the cash was difficult for me.  Crediting back the amount to his Cash credit account, or sending the money to him was options left out.  Instead,  I preferred to donate this money to an Orphanage in his name. The borrower was not aware of it till such time the same orphanage people approached him for further  donation.  The borrower though not interested in my style of philanthropy, sincerely appreciated my action.

A few more incident I may have left out as it may hurt others feelings.

If a borrower customer take money from you as a personal loan and he do not pay us back.  Such incident had happened to me too.   Shall we call it reverse corruption like reverse mortgage.

All said and done, me also received and paid bribe or part of corruption. Yet I dream of a society with less corruption.   I was talking of corruption of my reach or knowledge.  The story of corruption  of lacs and thousands of crores coming daily in the newspaper is beyond my reach.  Even these type of small type of corruption could be controlled, the life will improve vastly.  I again earnestly feel that the corruption to be discouraged at the giver level and strict legislation  and punishment to be given to the giver.  Any takers please?.  Let us join hands together and share the idea first and supplement with your innovative ideas. I am looking forward for your response.