(g). 7th Posting - SDO, Jhargram, Midnapore

I joined as the Subdivisional officer Jhargram on April 28, 1979. As I had already worked in Jhargram for about three years as Project Officer, DPAP and a little less than two years as Project Officer, PIREP, I had a fair knowledge of the area. Officers were also mostly known to me. It helped me to a great extent to run the administration efficiently.

There were eight Development Blocks and six Police Stations in Jhargram,  Binpur and Gopiballavpur PS had two Development Blocks each in its jurisdiction; Binpur – I with headquarters at Lalgarh and Binpur II with headquarters at Belpahari in Binpur PS and Gopiballavpur – I with headquarters at Chhatinasole and Gopiballavpur – II with headquarter at Beliabera in Gopiballavpur P. S. In the early seventies, Gopiballavpur had been a hotbed of Naxal activities.

The six police stations were  Jhargram, Jamboni, Binpur, Gopiballavpur, Nayagram, and  Sankrail.

Santhals, Mundas, Sabars and Lodhas were the predominant tribes in the Jhargram subdivision. There was also a large section of Mahatos living here.

SDOs do not have any well-defined work chart. Besides looking after general administration, SDOs are to deal with various other matters and coordinate with other functionaries dealing with public services. As Subdivisional Magistrate, he is also in charge of Magistracy on the Executive side. SDO is also ex-officio heads of some govt and non-govt (public cause) agencies. He is also the Superintendent of the sub-jail and looks after block-level administration and development activities. Here, I have highlighted some worth-mentioning events of my tenure as SDO, Jhargram.

I had taken over as SDO around the time the new Panchayati raj institutions had come into existence on completion of the Panchayat Elections, 1978. The Gram Panchayats in this setup were to have the staff designated as the job assistants. SDOs were empowered to select candidates for these posts of job assistants at one for each Gram Panchayat with the assistance of a committee set up by the Govt with official and non-official members. There were 81-gram Panchayats in my area, and 81 candidates were to be selected. One of my first jobs as SDO was to complete the selection process and do it justly. It was a tricky job.  The Panchayat functionaries who had just come to power would eye on getting their favoured candidates in position. I, therefore, had to involve myself personally in the selection process to thwart all attempts of outside interference. I developed the selection process in line with the government order in consultation with the recruitment committee; I took care to see that no external factor could come into play to influence the selection of candidates. I set the questions for recruitment tests myself. The question papers were typed and cyclostyled under my supervision on the morning of the examination day and then sent to the concerned BDOs in sealed covers for holding the recruitment test. I had the answer sheets designed to have a perforated portion for writing names, roll numbers, and other particulars. 

After the examination, I had the answer scripts brought to me. I then allotted code numbers to every answer script and detached the perforated portions containing the names and other particulars of the candidates from the answer scripts. These torn-off portions were kept separately in the sealed covers, in the confidential section of my office, and used to relate the candidates to the marks scored by them after the result sheets came. This process made it impossible for anyone to connect answer scripts to candidates and closed the way to exert undue influence in favour or against a candidate.

The BDOs, chosen at random, evaluated the answer scripts. They had a model answer sheet to work. I personally test-checked some answer scripts after BDOs had evaluated and awarded marks for them. The qualifying marks were 40% of the total marks for the written test. A board headed by the SDO, with four out of seven members from amongst the officers of the Govt. took the viva voce. The marks obtained in the viva voce by a candidate were arrived at by taking the simple average of the marks awarded by the individual member. This process eradicated any bias from any member towards any candidate. The total marks obtained by a candidate comprised the marks obtained in the written test and in the interview. The selection committee then prepared a panel of three candidates on merit for each GP based on the marks they had scored. The concerned Gram Pradhan was to appoint the first available candidate to this panel. The selection was just and fair. Deserving candidates, irrespective of their political affiliation, got selected.

Some Gram Pradhans initially declined to appoint the selected candidates as they were not their preferred ones. These cases were dealt with firmly, and the available selected candidates ultimately received their appointments and joined their posts. 

It may not be out of context to mention that the official section of the local unit of the party in power was not very happy with my way of conducting the selection process. But they had to swallow it, as they could not find any flaw in the process or bias towards anybody. 

My District Magistrate, who had a political leaning, would, in an indirect way of putting pressure on me, often ask me to hasten appointments to these vacancies, saying some of the SDOs had already completed it. I would tell him that I was on it, but my process was a little more elaborate and would take some time. I had reasons to believe that in some other subdivisions of the district, some young SDOs had entrusted the Sabhapatis of Panchayat Sanities, who were political people, to conduct the selection process.

The recording of Bargadars under Operation Barga started in the State during my tenure. It went on in full swing in the Jhargram subdivision like in other places. There was an organised campaign through the evening camps in rural areas. In some of these camps, I, too, participated as the SDO. Operation Barga was then a priority project of the State Govt. Thousands of Bargadars got themselves recorded as such in the related land records. They reaped its benefit later. Operation Barga was a joint endeavour of the LR and the Settlement wing of the Land and Land Reforms Department.

During my tenure as SDO, there was a heinous incident in which 13 Lodhas were killed in the Nayagram Police Station area by unknown assailants. The dead bodies were discovered on the sandy bank of the river Subarnarekha near a place known as Chandabilla. There was suspicion that the perpetrators were from the Santhal community.  

Historically, the Lodhas, a declining tribe, were racial enemies of the Santhals. They remained engaged in various criminal activities. The British Govt. had notified them as a criminal tribe. After independence, the Govt of India denotified them. They lived in the forests. Several attempts by the Govt to rehabilitate them in the inhabited areas had failed. 

A few days before this shocking incident, I visited the Nayagram area. I had learnt that the police camp, which had been functioning at the place Chandabila (mentioned earlier), had been withdrawn, and the crimes of robbery, snatching, and dacoities had multiplied in that area since then. People were losing confidence in the police, and there was a general feeling that Lodhas were involved in these crimes. Talking to the local people, I felt there could be an organised reprisal against the suspected criminals. I had returned to my headquarters with an uncanny feeling and had immediately written to the Superintendent of Police, Midnapore giving my assessment of the prevailing situation in Nayagram. I had asked the SP to re-establish the Police Camp at Chandabila immediately, with the arrangement for regular patrolling in the area. I also kept the District Magistrate informed.

To my knowledge, there was no action, and within a few days had happened this heinous crime. It had stirred the administration. The administration took various steps, including welfare measures for the Lodhas. I feel proper and timely action along the lines of my letter could have deterred those involved from taking such an extreme step. After the incident, the District Magistrate had written to the S. P asking for a report on action taken on my letter. I am not aware of further development in this regard. 

There was another incident of importance, this time of political implication. One day, just after my lunch, I received an RT[1] message from the BDO, Gopiballavpur - I, that he had been abused and manhandled in his office chamber by a local Zilla Parishad Member of the CPI (M) and consequent on that he was leaving the headquarters. I asked the BDO to stay back till I reached his office. 

As I was preparing to leave for the area, I received a telephone call from the District Magistrate asking me to tell the BDO not to move out of his headquarters and not to lodge F. I. R. I informed the District Magistrate that I was proceeding to the place; I would certainly advise the BDO to lodge an F. I. R if I was satisfied that the Zilla Parishad Member had done anything wrong.

I reached the Gopiballavpur BDO office and talked to the staff members and other officials of the BDO’s office and got a complete picture of all that had happened. All the staff members were agitated; they had already started a pen-down strike. I immediately sent the BDO to the local PS to lodge an F. I. R.

After a little while, the then Chairman of Midnapore Zilla Parishad, who had later become a powerful minister in the cabinet of Sri Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, accompanied by Sri Dipak Sarkar, the District Secretary of the CPI (M), reached the office of the BDO. The Chairman of the Zilla Parishad expressed regret over the incident. He wanted the BDO to be advised not to lodge FIR; they would take action on their end. Being informed that the BDO has already lodged the FIR, he requested me to keep it suspended for a week. I agreed but told him that, after this period, action on the FIR would automatically start. I advised the Sub-divisional Police Officer and the OC of the concerned Police Station to act accordingly. I ensured that the action on the FIR began immediately after the lapse of seven days. 

Later on the same day, the employees called off the pen-down strike. Finally, considering the actions taken, BDO agreed to stay back. Ranjit Maity was the concerned BDO.

Afterwards, I learned that the party had expelled the concerned member of the Zilla Parishad. Police had arrested him, and the criminal case started on the FIR pending against him. 

I had to ensure that the culprit did not go scot-free for administrative reasons. Else people would get encouraged to repeat such incidents, and Tom, Dick, or Harry could enter the BDO office and abuse the BDO if things did not go their way. It would make it difficult for a BDO in a fur-flung area to function efficiently. I also made this view of mine known to the Chairman, Zilla Parishad, and the District Secretary of CPI (M) during their visit to the BDO's office. I was happy that the culprit got adequately punished and the matter settled satisfactorily.

The CPI (M) had been in power for over a year. Their leaders were then dedicated, honest and law-abiding. Most of them were good people, decent and educated. They were honest and had the will to hold the reins of the administration in firm hands. Bureaucrats, too, were, by and large, upright, just and impartial. From today’s perspective, I doubt how far such strict action, as described here, could be taken or to what extent the party in power would proceed to punish its guilty member. It has vitiated the administrative and political environment over the years.

During my stay at Jhargram, I also conducted a Midterm General Election in 1980 for the Parliamentary Constituency areas falling within the subdivision as the concerned Assistant Returning Officer for the Parliamentary Constituency. Incidentally, this was the election in which Mrs Indira Gandhi had returned to power after her defeat in the General Election of 1977.

Jhargram started showing early signs of disturbance towards the end of my tenure. I found Jhargram peaceful and a place for tourists when I came here first. Later during my stay,  Jhargram started becoming disturbed by political agitation and the grooming of the Jharkhand Party. A few sections of the Naxalite had also become active in the forest areas. I used to mention these happenings in my routine confidential reports to the District Magistrate. Binoy Krishna Chaudhuri, the then Land & Land Reforms Minister (since deceased), had visited Jhargram for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation. During his visit, he had wanted me to stay back at Jhargram because of the prevailing conditions; I had been transferred elsewhere in the meanwhile. As I had, by then, made all arrangements to move out and had been mentally prepared for the change, it was too late for me to rethink. At my request, the Minister did not press it further. As I look back, I feel it would be better for the education of my elder daughter had I agreed to stay

I had many good friends among the doctors here. One of them was a doctor and a noted citizen of Jhargram, Dr Lalit Kumar Pahari (deceased). My younger daughter was born in his Nursing Home under his care and the care of his wife. Dr Sengupa, a child specialist, and Dr Ranjan Roy, an eye surgeon, were both attached to the Jhargram Government Hospital, and their wives were our good friends and close to us. Dr Sengupta used to come daily to my residence to check on my younger daughter after birth. Once, my daughter suffered a convulsion. Dr Pahari and Dr Sengupta rushed to my house immediately; they stayed to attend to my child till she fully recovered. My daughter was then 2-3 months old. Due to this, I could not go to a meeting with DLRS, Mr D. Bandopadhyay, who had come to Jhargram to review the progress of operation Barga. Mr Bandopadhyay had, however, appreciated the situation and did not mind my failure to attend his meeting. 

My University friend Bhabatosh Mandal had been a resident of Jhargram. My family quickly became acquainted with him and his family when we came here. We often used to spend time together.

As an SDO, I had a cordial relationship with my officers and the officers of other departments posted here. To name a few, they were Kalyan Ghosh (Sub-divisional Information Officer), Asim Mukherjee (Assistant Engineer PWD), Mr Chandra (Principal of Jhargram Polytechnic), Gorachand Mukherjee (Sub-divisional Agriculture Officer), and others. Kalyan got married while posted at Jhargram. We all enjoyed his post-marriage party. 

My second officer Mr Mridul Dasgupta was a promotee officer. He had a son and a daughter Reshmi, both bright students. He was a good man. My third officer was Mohan Lal Gupta, who hailed from Bihar. He, too, had a son and a daughter. Unfortunately, his daughter suffered a disability. Mohan had died in a road accident while posted in Kolkata. We used to have social contact with most officers and their families living in Jhargram.

The Sub-divisional Police Officers at my time were first B. K. Roy and then Kanai Lal Basu. From the administrative point of view, I did not have any problem with either of them.

There was a cinema hall in Jhargram. I once went there with my wife and daughter to view a film. While the movie was running, my daughter got bitten by a rat. We had never again visited that hall or watched a film there so long as we were in Jhargram.

During my tenure in Jhargram, my elder daughter had reached the school-going age. She became restless about going to school when she found others of her age walking with schoolbags on their shoulders. I first got her admitted to KG in Sri Ramkrishna Saradapith Girls’ School, run by female monks. Later, she got admitted to Class I in Rani Binod Manjari Govt. Girls’ School. She was doing well and got deeply involved in her studies when I left on transfer. Even though Minister Binoy Krishna had requested me to stay back, I could not agree. That was possibly the second-biggest mistake in my life. This transfer adversely affected my elder daughter's education and ruined her urge to learn. In her later life, this had severely damaging effects on her life. I can't but hold myself responsible for it.

Jhargram had once been the capital town in the kingdom of Malla Devs. The town still had that beautiful royal palace where Malla Devs used to reside. Birendra Bijoy Malladev, a descendant of the Malla Dev dynasty, had represented the Jhargram constituency in the State Assembly in the seventies and the early eighties. He belonged to the Congress party.

Jhargram was a picturesque town. The roads here passed through long ranges of tall trees on both sides. The topography was undulated, running in the exotic range of Belpahari and Kankrajhore to the north and bounded by the meandering Subarnarekha to the south. It had tourist spots at Hatibari and Kakrajhore, each provided with Forest Bungalows. At night, Jamshedpur looked like a bowl of lights from the forest bungalow at Kakrajhore. Hatibari situates on the bank of the river Subarnarekha. The Block Headquarters of Gopiballavpur I at Chhatinasole could be reached from Hatibari through the forest and via a village road if one wanted to avoid crossing the river Subarnarekha by boat or raft. Staying in Hatibari on a stormy night, one could hear the roars of waves in the river Subarnarekha.

Santhals, Mundas, Sabars and Lodhas were the predominant tribes in the Jhargram subdivision. There was also a large section of the Mahatos living here. Besides being a tourist spot, Jhargram was also a health resort.

I had worked in different capacities in the Jhargram subdivision for about five  years and ten months. During this period,  I had wound up an office, set up another one from scratch to a fully running state, complete with all necessary requisites and concerned staff and officers in place. Regular administrative work aside, I had also handled many tricky situations and some serious law and order problems as the SDO, Jhargram. 

Jhargram brought me some unforgettable moments in my personal life, too, which flashes in my mind now and then with a sense of pleasure and fulfillment.

During my later visit to Jhargram in November 2016, I found there had been worth-mentioning changes in places we stayed during 1974-80. The changes are enumerated below.

1. A flyover on the railway lines had come up near the Jubilee market in Jhargram, making it easy for traffic to flow to and from the Belpahari side.

2. A compound wall had been constructed in SDO's office. The vacant space in the SDO residence had got reduced. 

3. The town had expanded on all sides.

4. There has been a substantial improvement in the road to Nayagram from NH 6 onward. It has got updated as a State Highway. 

5. The bridges built on the river Subarnarekha, at Kutighat and Bhosraghat, connect Dantan, Keshiari, Digha, and beyond  to Jhargram by alternative and convenient routes. These have brought great relief to the people of Gopiballavpur and Nayagram and have made their life easier. 

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