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When any person acquires
wealth/comforts without contributing to the real job or by damaging the useful
purpose of any assignment, is a corrupt person.
It will be very difficult to
control corruption by the introduction of new laws.
Corruption can
be controlled more efficiently by the use of better information technology.
IT can
help us tackle most of the problems, in fact, this is the only tool of the
present times. We need to act faster than the culprits and we need to make
the system transparent not only to the public but also to the persons sitting at
the decision making positions. Most our leaders are given the wrong input or
they don't get the input at the proper time. We need to computerize the data of
every individual and for every movable or immovable item, and for each minute
detail that we generally write on our paper files, for processing,
analyzing and monitoring by the statistical and mathematical models for timely
warnings and immediate remedial actions. Remember, there is no escape from
it, so it is better to start at the earliest.
Do you know
that these babus are the real backbone of our administrative system
for the simple reason that it’s they who handle and maintain all
documents related to any work. So a real time data base of
the movement of Govt files and storage of soft copy of each noting page
at the central data storage system is the need of present hour. To
begin with, the files movement register of each desk need to be
computerized and the file movement record of each table should be
monitored by an independent monitoring authority by the use of specially
designed software. Each babu, department, its seniors and files should have a
unique number. Even a casual leave application should have a number
as per the guidelines of the central file monitoring authority. A babu should
be required to update
the data base regarding the following three points on every working day:
1. When and from whom the file is
received.
2. Soft copy of the page of noting.
3. When and to whom the file is
dispatched.
In fact, the complete administrative
working should be computerized on the line of banking system. Most
of the data, that can be acquired through RTI act, should be freely available
on real time basis by the internet facility.
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There is
deep rooted
corruption that even Anna can't imagine.
We cry of
corruption when this great devil is visible to general public through media only.
RTI, to some extent, has helped to get it visible to the public but there are
many deep rooted bad practices that can shake the basic foundation of this great
country.
Central Water
Commission is monitoring the life force of our country. Its basic duty is to
help Govt know the river related issues for every river of India. It has also
been assigned to forecast river flows specially during flood seasons. Initially,
ground water studies was also part of its activities but a separate ground water
board is formed. The basic support force for the functioning of these
organizations is history of past data related to river flow and ground water
levels.
Rivers are like
veins of a living body; and as such, mismanagement of rivers proves to be
suicidal in the long run. River management system is a vast subject which
includes low flow or flood forecasting, reservoir regulations, development and
maintenance of engineering structures and water quality monitoring etc.
Engineering
structures like dams, reservoirs, bridges etc., are not like toys that can be
re-build after finding some new parameters suggesting their improved designs.
Generally, an engineering structure is never re-build till it completes its
estimated life time or till it breaks down due to poor design or material. And
if a structure is too strong, more than its actual requirement, the enormous
wasteful expenditure will never come to light.
For precise
design of engineering structures archive rainfall and river flow data is a
primary requirement.
But, generally
the junior engineers engage a Khilasi (peon/attendant) to observe river gauge
specially during
rainy nights when no body will dare to go near river banks. Even the data
in many cases is manipulated by the Khilasi as there is no body to crosscheck it.
Similarly, for rainfall observations, the IMD is taking assistant from schools
and village heads from all over the country.
Records reveal
that history of data recorded before independence is exceptionally accurate as
being recorded now.
Saddest
part of it is that during flood forecasting, the executive engineer passes the
forecast results to junior engineers engaged for recording river gauge. Almost
every executive engineer all over the country is able to show forecasting
performance within prescribed range of error by using forecast formulation
methods by using past data which is mostly unreliable. Can Anna's Jan Lokpal check this
type of corruption?
A possible
solution is that each organization should be divided in two parts mainly a
processing unit and a observation unit. Both units should be independent from
each other so that officers from one unit don't get authority to influence the
other unit. .
An external
agency like comptroller and auditor general should be allowed to examine every
department specially Central
Water Commission for its usefulness compared to total expenditure required to
maintain it. On the similar lines we need to have a independent monitoring
agency to examine operational drawbacks of organisations.
Corruption can
be controlled by better technology.
After the
introduction of computers, computer based mathematical models has become an
important part of engineering services in water resources development studies
and real time river flow forecasting purposes. In the mathematical and
hydrological models and conventional procedures, the results during their real
time application depend on the correctness of their approach and the period and
accuracy of data used to calibrate them.
In central Water
Commission, several persons have been trained and exposed to computer based
models related to river management system under different World Bank / UNDP
schemes. But, to them, the foreign acquired models which represent a very
complex logic supported by huge software package of several thousand
lines, create such an illusion that some of them, who are a little familiar with
software, never dare to know the exact software locations where the actual
calculations of their familiar equations are carried out. Now the foreign
countries has stopped providing source code of their computer packages
because they prefer us to be always dependent on them.
Generally, when
any application, well tested by hand calculations, is transferred to a computer
system, we just develop the software to follow the same steps of hand
calculations without much knowledge that the computers are not only to increase
the speed of processing but are capable of simplifying the entire procedure of
processing. The hydrologists remain dominant to the whole plan of development
leaving programmer as a mere tool for processing operation. If the hydrologist
is well familiar with the power of computers, he can design his theories more
adventurously.
With newer
generation of computers flooding the market every six months, more refined
theories and software procedures are bound to be developed by the advance
countries.
In the year 1984 I got a chance to know the computer technology when I was
posted to the computer section of the Upper Yamuna Circle, CWC, in India. An UNDP
aided Pilot project (No. IND/85/058) for improvement of river forecasting system
in India was in progress. At that time I was not having any computer knowledge
and was completely unfamiliar with any programming language.
A number of foreign acquired hydro-meteorological mathematical models were
being installed on the HP-1000 main frame computer which was being linked to
fourteen remote sensing stations through a dedicated telemetry data collection
network. Some of these were SSARR model developed by North pacific div. of US
corps of Engineers, HEC-1F developed by Hydraulic Engineering centre, USA, NCL _
NLM Model model from Czechoslovakia and MIKE-11 model developed by Danish
Hydraulic Institute.
I was able to
understand the core structure of the flood forecasting models because of my
exploring nature. During this period I could acquire the knowledge of Fortran-77
computer language and could understand operation of main frame HP-1000
computer.
As the foreign acquired models were not giving satisfactory results I was
impressed upon to develop India's own flood forecasting model; and a CWCFF1
model was developed. CWCFF1 model was based on new routing theory that I could
invent in a just 10 minutes while I was analyzing stored actual data . I was also
able to develop PEM-FF and CWC Unit Graph models. Not only the scientific part,
but also the complete software were designed by a lone person like me. But to
get excellent reports from my senior officers and to manage my posting at the
main office at Delhi, I have to write the paper for these models with their names
on the first places. In addition to that,
I could develop the real time database and its link to all the models and the telemetry
data collection net work. The activity of the UNDP project was considered to be
so important that almost every fortnight some VIP was visiting the computer
centre. Several hydrologists form the neighbouring countries like Pakistan,
Japan and China were shown the India's modern technology in the making.
When the UNDP
project was over and all the foreign tours were utilized by the senior officers,
they managed to get their postings to other better places. In the end I too was transferred from the computer centre
and no body cared to preserve my research and development work and every thing
along with CWCFF1 model, PEM-FF and CWC Unit Graph models got buried along with the
outdated HP-1000 computer. I could see the magnetic tapes lying in the
corridors and the computer room being redesigned to begin an another similar
project.
During my next posting
at the River Data Directorate, I could develop Hydrological Data Maintenance And
Processing System (HYD-MAPS). It remained in use during my stay in the River
Data Directorate. Many years of daily gauge, discharge and sediment data
was being maintained by its use. It may be mentioned here that the World Bank
consultants after seeing the demonstration India's HYD-MAPS, included its users
log book feature in their own HYMOS. But again, myself and the indigenous data base was uprooted to accommodate a foreign acquired data
base model namely "HYMOS" from Netherlands. CWC's transfer policy was
used to throw me away to please the caretakers of "HYMOS". At this time I decide
to take my premature retirement as it was a great setback to see my work going
to drain again and again.
Every senior
officer used to encourage me for my research and development work not for the
sake of actual work but to find something impressive for the resumes of their
own confidential reports. Any good work used to survive till it was associated
with the foreign tours and other benefits.
I remember the two most remarkable happenings that need to be
mentioned here to complete the scenario.
1. Once we were having tea with the foreign experts from the Denmark during
lunch break of a training session. The training session was meant to select
the participants for further fellowship at Denmark. There was a great battle
like atmosphere. The participants were using their all resources and energy
to win the fellowship. One senior officer got a novel idea to win the favor
of a foreign consultant by expressing like this:
"Sir, your country doesn't have any big rivers at all, even then you have
developed wonderful flood forecasting model that suits our huge rivers. How
could you do that when you don't have rivers to test them on real time
basis".
The foreign consultant smiled with proud and pointed his finger to his head
and said, " We have got this". The officer nodded his head with a childish
smile. Later he got the ticket to Denmark for six months fellowship.
2. My self was also selected, but for different reasons. The fellowship was
awarded to me as a prize for helping the foreign consultants to link their
MIKE-11 model with our telemetry supported real time data base system. Also,
the consultants were too eager to know from me all the details of CWCFF1
model and the PEM model, which I could develop from scratch. These models,
even at the development stage, were being used for actual real time
forecasts for the river Yamuna at Delhi and Mawi. The foreign acquired
models like SSARR (USA), HEC1F (USA), NCL-NLM (Czechoslovakia), Mike-11
(Denmark) never gave satisfactory results. The foreign consultants used to
cover their failures by putting the blame on the accuracy of our archive
data, but the achievements by CWCFF1 model put them all in the dock. A
senior officer presented a paper on CWCFF1 model at Geneva and the same was
published in "Hydrology of Disasters, WMO". Although, I was the inventor of
all the theories and software designs for the CWCFF1 and PEM model, I came
to know about its fame at Geneva only through Mr. J. C. Refsgaard, Project
Manager CWC/DHI project. He was too keen to know about all its details from
me. Peter from Czechoslovakia had once told me that, " had you been in my
country I would have absorbed you in my department".
I realized that it would not be in the interest of my research work to waste
six months at Denmark for the sake of few exercises on the Mike-11 model,
which I was sure, will not succeed for the unique characteristics of Indian
rivers.
When I expressed my unwillingness to accept the fellowship, a senior officer
tried to convince me by saying like this:
" Mr. Rishiraj, forget about work. Go and enjoy your life at Denmark. No
body goes there for the sake of work. People will call you a fool if you
miss this chance. You will never get this chance again in your life. You
must know that your CWCFF1 and PEM-FF models will disappear one day as CWC
is not a research organization. They are alive till you are handling them.
No body is fool enough to break his head on other's research work without
any personal benefit. Take one more day to think over or give in writing
that you are not accepting the fellowship due to your family reasons."
I opted not to go. But after some time realized that the senior officer was
most experienced in his own field as he rightly forecasted the death of all
my research work including the most sophisticated real time data base and
the vast telemetry system.
Such scenario is dominant in our country. We talk of ills of corruption,
transparency and reforms of the administrative system etc. But most of us
act only when our own self-interest is involved. Here the transparency is
required to the administrators who wish to reform their own organization.
Before I took my retirement I had written to The Secretary, MOWR, Shram
Shakti Bhawan, New Delhi to let me continue my development work but the
powerful lobby blocked its early action and I left CWC. Had there been a
scientific system for reliable and fast communication, complete transparency
for officers sitting at the top, and most importantly for the public that
owns this country, my research and development work would not have gone to
drain.
Now CWCFF1 model is just a history. People are still mentioning it in their
papers. You can see its mention in Google search for "CWCFF1"
Corruption
killed the CWCFF1 model , PEM model and HYD-MAPS because some babu
manipulated the transfer policy to favor someone for his own tea-paani.
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