“Railway Board is in my packet”

We want companies itself to transport their fertilizers -AIKS

To,

Editor, RailSamachar

First of all we would like to extend our gratitude on behalf of farmers to ‘RailSamachar’ for their work, I would like to bring few critical issues in your notice regarding the private railway out agency (M/s Manoj Ji & co.) appointed by Railways for catering fertilizers from Udhmapur Rake Point to Srinagar Notional Rake Point by road, which comes by train to Udhampur.

The contract of the out agency is valid for three years and is expiring by the 1st November 2018. The performance of the railway out agency has remained controversial in these three years as the out agent miserably failed to come to the expectations of all stakeholders due to which farmers suffered.

Many complaints were made by the stakeholders, eminent political personalities and officers of the state government and several chances were given to the railway to improve the working of this out agency.

More than thousands of metric tons of fertilizers worth corers of rupees are missing since 2016. The consigners and consignee companies are running from pillar to post for the prompt, safe and timely delivery of their material but they are still struggling for the reprisal of the issue.

With this callous attitude on part of out agency not only fertilizer companies are suffering but poor farmers, Fertilizer dealers and retailers also suffered as they received damaged fertilizers after much delay due to the negligence of out agency.

It is very sad on part of railways that the out agency never delivered the above-mentioned thousands of metric tons fertilizers but was paid full cartage for that by railways which are a clear-cut admission of misconduct and misuse of taxpayers’ money.

Recently DRM office Firozpur vide letter no. MC/42006/SINA/15 Pt-ll, dated 27.08.2018 and PCCM/NR vide letter no. 51-RD/608-R/Opening/FZR/2016, dated 30.08.2018 bought out the reality of out agency, in which clearly mentioned that out agency misused and ruined the railway image.

Also, it was mentioned that the contract of this out agency will not be renewed beyond its validity and fresh tenders for out won’t be floated.

It is very disappointing that Mr Mudit Chandra, Director, Freight Marketing of Railway Board vide his letter no. 2018/TC(FM)/12/25-1, dated 18.08.2018 is asking Northern Railway to continue the same arrangement. This railway out agency has challenged the fertilizers dealers, state government and fertilizer companies that railway runs as per his wishes, Railway Board is in my packet, I will get his agency extended at any cost by railways.

This means the out agency was right that Railway Board is in his pocket. They ignored all the communications of divisional office of Firozpur Division of Northern Railway, even officially all the rights of this out agency are under the divisional office. Why is the Railway Board intervening in it?

We request the Railway authorities to thoroughly investigate this matter. Farmers have suffered huge losses due to this out agency. Most of our economy and livelihood depends on agriculture.

As fertilizer companies used to transport their fertilizers on their own till 2015 no such problems aroused. There is nowhere out agency in India except Kashmir, we want companies itself to transport their fertilizers.

Thanking you in anticipation

G. M. Dar, Chairman, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS)