C'da, >And I am with you on the doom and gloom front too. >c-da :-)
Something seems amiss here. But being the simpleton that I am, I will take it face value.:) Wonder if you would agree with me EVEN if we were to expand this a bit, and apply it to India as a whole? --Ram On 8/12/07, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > You are so right Ram. After all it is a democracy. One can freely express > one's opinions. And I agree those who don't agree are free to write to the > Sentinel. > > > And I am with you on the doom and gloom front too. > > > c-da :-) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > At 8:04 PM -0600 8/12/07, Ram Sarangapani wrote: > > C'da > > > > >Had it not been for your drawing attention to it, I never would have > >read it. > > > > I know C'da - but it is the Sentinel! > > > > >So, what do you think of the article? > > > > The topic, is not alien to us. We have discussed it many times here. > > While Dr. JB seems to have taken a broad brush here, but one often hears > of such complaints (work ethics) -at least in Guwahati. > > > > I see problems like eratic power supply, strikes, bandhs, 'make way for > the montri', as bigger problems. Yes, there are problems like 'eh aaji > nohobo' but interestingly enough, I never have had to bribe my way thru in > Guwahati - maybe I need to spend some more time.. > > > > And from the brief periods I spend, I see extremely busy Assamese, engaged > in businesses of their own, and both young men and women working in many > different occupations from sales, teachers to office managers, and lawyers - > so, I really don't see what Dr. JB sees - the big gloom & doom. > > > > Yes, it does make us all upset that something like this can and is > published in the papers. But, that is fine, she is expressing her views, and > if we feel different, we should write too. > > > > --Ram > > > > On 8/12/07,* Chan Mahanta* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > Ram: > > > > > Had it not been for your drawing attention to it, I never would have read > it. > > > > > > > > > > > > * These retarding syndromes of unpunctuality, absenteeism and a > general tendency of* > > * lethargy are solely responsible for the backwardness of our > State.* > > > > > > > > > > > So, what do you think of the article? > > > > > c-da > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > At 12:49 PM -0600 8/12/07, Ram Sarangapani wrote: > > Even though, this topic has made the usual rounds (including Assamnet), > Dr. JB's Op Ed makes interesting reading. > > > > Highlights mine. Maybe, we ought not read such op eds - that may solve the > problem :) :) > > > > --Ram > > > > * > **Dr Jyotsna Bhattacharjee** > *Absenteeism and unpunctuality are perhaps not peculiar to Assam, and for > that matter in other States as well. The only difference is perhaps in > magnitude, as is clearly evident here. In other States, these two retarding > syndromes are not so striking, but sadly here they have become an > inalienable part of our work ethos.* Consequently, our state has been > stigmatized as the land of lahe-lahe.* Nothing seems to move fast > here.*Outsiders ridicule the Assamese people as a bunch of lazybones and > nothing > seems to shake them.* By nature, the Assamese people are easy going and > gregarious, and apparently do not inculcate any ambitions to outshine > others. > Assam, no wonder, is called a backward State.* A nation cannot progress if > its citizens are indolent.* While other States have raced ahead with > remarkable speed, Assam has remained miles behind them.* A State's welfare > depends on the people, and if the people are slow, unambitious and drowsy, > naturally there can be no hope for such a state.* The people here want > jobs but do not want to work. They do not want to take risks or struggle. > Till some years back, there was no Assamese businessman worth the name; the > whole business was in the hands of outsiders. Only in recent years, we have > seen Assamese boys and girls joining the business line and they are doing > very well. > But sadly we have not been able to shrug off our characteristic aversion > to exertion. Because of that we have become the butt of ridicule and > humiliation. We feel ashamed whenever we notice the progress made by other > States. Ironically, even in our own country, people were not aware of our > State or its people. It is only since a decade back that Assam has caught > the attention of the people due to all the wrong reasons of insurgency and > violence. Unless we can shrug off our lethargy, the future of our State is > certainly doomed. > > *People clamour for jobs and are ready to pay a large amount of 'demand > money' for it*. After securing the job, the applicant sits back to enjoy > his life of leisure - looking for ways and means to earn some easy money > from hapless people, besides earning the salary at the end of the month.*The > office becomes the place for relaxation and gossip. > * These people do not care as to how much their indolence is affecting the > public. You may take a round of these offices for some urgent piece of > information, but you do not get it. Letters do not bring any response - and > then you try to meet a person dealing with your file but he may not be > there, and nobody knows whether he is present or absent. In such a messy > situation, you may wonder if these people have added invisibility to their > other accomplishments. Even if you manage to meet the persons concerned, do > not think that your work will be done. Either he will ask you to come > another day, or your file may not be found at all. But bring out your purse > and the missing file instantly reappears, as if by magic. > *These employees are concerned about nothing else but money*. They start > agitation at the drop of a hat. They demand better wages, better facilities > and better prospects. But they forget that rights and duties go together. > One is meaningless without the other. If it is their right to get better > wages and better facilities, then it is their duty to work with sincerity > and dedication. But we people, though extremely conscious of our rights, are > often forgetful of our duties. > > Even if they are present in their respective offices, work proceeds at a > snail's pace.* Nobody seems to be interested in the job. Cobwebs can be > seen everywhere and it appears that the floors do not see a broom for months > together. Dusty files clutter the tables and the floor. They almost appear > to reach the roof. It is not known if they are ever opened* . What a > depressing sight! > *Absenteeism is not peculiar only to government departments; it has spread > to private establishments as well.* An owner of a firm, dealing with > refrigerators, air-conditioners and other electrical gadgets, ruefully says > that he cannot give proper service to the customers, as some of his > employees are frequently absent without any intimation to the office. He is > sure that these people are doing temporary jobs with attractive > remunerations, while remaining absent in their regular jobs. Yet they take > regular wages at the end of the month. He dare not reprimand them or take > recourse to pay-cuts, as they would start agitation against the 'injustice' > of the management towards the workers. > Due to the sloppy work mode of these diverse departments, the taxpayers > suffer. You do not get proper service from any of these establishments, > whether government, semi-government or private, to telecom, electricity, > municipal corporation or any other, though it happens by your right. Yet if > you pay them some money, the work would be instantly done, though they > should do it without demanding money.* That is our work culture. > *Unpunctuality is another malady, which has thrown a spanner in the work > output. We have taken unpunctuality as an inevitable feature of our life. We > know that people in any office will not arrive at 10 am and so we have to > adjust our time to theirs without a murmur of protest. And why should we?*All > of us are unpunctual. In any meeting or seminar we arrive an hour late, > knowing fully well that none would turn up in the scheduled time.**Usually > employees reach their various places of work an hour late and depart > an hour early.* It is an established unwritten norm - and is accepted > universally in our country. > > These retarding syndromes of unpunctuality, absenteeism and a general > tendency of lethargy are solely responsible for the backwardness of our > State. Whenever a new employee joins, he may be energetic and sincere, but > gradually after seeing the work culture of his senior colleagues, he too > falls prey to the same syndromes. This ''no work culture'' has not only > affected the economy of the State, it has also harassed the common people. > They waste time, money and energy by making rounds in some departments, run > from pillar to post to get some work done, but to no avail. > > There may be myriad causes of the casual attitude of the employees towards > their respective jobs. Sickness of a family member, domestic problems, > inadequate wages, personal maladjustment, lack of interest in the job and > many more. Lack of motivation may be one of the most fundamental causes of > this insipid attitude of the employees towards their duty. It is essential > for the management to motivate the work force for better results. A healthy > relationship between management and workers is very much necessary for > motivating the employees. And of course, the high officers themselves should > lead by example by adhering to punctuality and regular attendance. > (The writer is a former Head of the Department of Philosophy, Cotton > College, Guwahati) > > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > [email protected] > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > > > > >
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