impugned circular(044) sent by Dy.CS for easing out.

Dated-20.08.09
To
Sri Pratap Bhosle
At DGShipping,Mumbai-400001

Sub.:Revalidation & upgrading of MEO class certificate Reg.

My dear Sri Bhosleji,
Your letter ENG/EXAM-17(6)/08 dated 10/07/09has been recd.on 19.08.09.

My reply as follows,after being thankful to you for your kind letter and concern.

1.The Circular No.44 dtd.29.07.2002 may have been drawn by a Dy.CS during the days of virtual commotion and administrative turmoil of a major change taking place from STCW ’78 to STCW ’95,and everybody was at a loss to visualize the final picture, when the department was only too willing to dump the STCW ’78,wholesale as the picture was not very clear and seamen were warned to prepare for the change from 1978 onwards,in being made to, forcibly, do the courses like the PSSR(four years in advance) or else.The SCI refused to follow suit and Mr. Ravichandran let it pass.Even till june’2004,Dy.Chief Surveyors actually must have found the STCW ’78 certificates(COCs) as “an old piece of useless paper , worth nothing in the future and/or of any use, even in the near future” in the Directorate and the MMD , so in fact,he must have drafted the said impugned circular as his personalized effort to some how, perhaps, help the old foggies,rendered out of job.
So ,one has to take such circulars with a pinch of salt.It may have served the purpose of doling-out a favour, to those whose COC was to be revalidated and upgraded,without the person having to go to sea.I have given one such example in my various representations.

2.What we were told and taught in our early careers of marine engineering,about the COCs of the G.o.I. is the fact as “Whereas it has been duly reported that you have been found qualified to fulfill the duties of First Class Engineer of a steamship(or a Motor Ship) in the Merchant service ,the President of India does hereby,in pursuance of the Act grant you this Certificate of Competency.”
And that
“This Certificate is liable to be cancelled or suspended by the appropriate Court or Tribunal or by the Central Govt.”
It would show,therefore,and amply clearly that the circular in question(044) has taken too much onus upon itself so as to carry-out an imaginary onerous task and that without any authorization or any specific order to that effect,from the Central Govt.(on behalf of the President of India), so as to impose it’s suggestion and will of wanting to “REEXAMINE A COC HOLDER OF THE PAST GENERATION WITH THE DATED CODING OF THOSE DAYS’
Rules can be made and implemented so as to meet the requirements of the progress and I proceeded to sea,on being told and only orally, at that, by the Chief,without a murmur,as it was only proper to remove the rustiness of twenty years,and in preparation to sail again as a Chief Engineer.on the high seas with confidence and ease.
Quite ingeniously,the then Dy.CS has not used the word “examination” with viva or with orals.It was to be a viva and an oral chit chat.
But one can not challenge the fundamental rights of someone in this country,now a days,after the brits have gone.Something amounting to that is supercilious and obnoxious and pray it would not persist.
3. The said circular has provided some insight to me in my unfortunate case.Where as you had ordered me on the 2nd & 3rd of Feb.’09 that I should proceed on a coastal vessel of propulsion power”more than 3000Kws for a period of..etc.,etc..But this phrase of more than 3000Kw is not to be located in the circular sent by you.
Do you know as to why so? You may recall that I went to all the places mentioned by you and no where I could find a coastal vessel sailing with engines with 3000 or above Kw power,and I requested that if you allowed me to sail away from the coast I could request HMS etc. to take me on as a second engineer for couple of months.I wanted only some money for retirement and I would be satisfied with those wages for a few months.But you said you wanted to keep an eye on me(as if I would run away,leaving my wife and children,as your responsibility)You are thirteen years my junior in the shipping industry and you want to keep an eye on me. So very kind of you and thank you ,indeed.

4.Even in the Meta Manual Vol.I,from pages 25 to 28 it always speaks of “750 Kw to 3000Kw propulsion power operating in near coastal voyages.So they already know,what took me two months,on your insistence,to find out that on a near coastal voyage the vessels operating would be in the range of 750 to 3000 Kw in power for propulsion,but rarely in excess of 3000Kws.So I was on a wild goose chase for two months of my precious sailing days remaining at my disposal.

5.I have faced only aggressive and uncooperative civil servants,apart from some special ones,who are even harsh,derogatory and demeaning,plus full of vengeance and spite and ready to ruin a career full of hope of a very senior marine engineer>Sometimes it is the ex-DMET vs. the non DMET feeling taking the upper hand of even a mature officer ‘s mind.I am proud that Sri D. Mehrotra made rule only for myself ,thereby cutting the life of my COC by half,while yours (and mine also),batchmate Mr.Mankoo and one Mr. Kulkarni have flouted it in my knowledge and have proceeded to sea after the culmination of revalidation course on 26.02.09,instead of upgrading their COCs,meaning that they had no such restriction as was placed on mine.How unfair,on the part of not only Mr. Mehrotra,but on the entire department?

6. I am not sure,whether you are trying to help me or trying to block me?Notwithstanding that let me feel happy on the spirit of comraderie amongst the fellow marine engineers,in the Directorate of Shipping.Jolly good luck to you all.
Yours sincerely

Suresh Pratap Singh
Ph.:022-27745804
Mob.:09935398306
Email:singhsp65@yahoo.com
Singh.suresh99@gmail.com