INDIANOIL-GULBURGA DEPOT

I landed in operations as Depot Manager Gulburga in 1985. I was the only officer with an assisstant, who had started his career as an attendant. I decided that my posting in Gulburga should create problems for those who posted me there. Mediocrity is not far sighted. I knew that I was dealing with mediocrity. They did not even imagine what I would do. Railway siding was half a kilometer away and I had to go there during decantation leaving the depot at the mercy of workmen, who were not held responsible for stock loss. This was a great risk Wagons were normally placed in the afternoon, mostly after 3 pm. The railways expected that the rake would be released the same day even if it involved working upto late in the night. I started the practice of selecting a number of wagons that could be decanted before sunset, which also meant I had to work at least one hour beyond working hours. I used to decant the rest of the wagons early morning and complete the work within the free time for decanting. This meant the workers did not lose their overtime and no dummurage was paid. But the railways were unhappy as they could not arrange engine for shunting and the turnover time was affected badly. Railways complained. Just as I thought I received a nasty letter from regional office. They directed me to release the wagons the same day. I wrote back to them that my depot explosives licence was for work between sunrise and sunset and hence if I worked beyond sunset it would be contravention of explosives regulations. There was no reply. May be they tore off both the letters. They must have felt extremely helpless. Then came audit team. I did not go to station to receive them. Manager Audit was furious. I ignored him. There was no reason for me to be scared of audit. They could not transfer me immediately. They had to work with me for one full year They thought of punishing me by posting me under a man who was considered tough. What they did not take into consideration was that a man with ‘weaknesses’ couldn’t be tough