CAF&PD Commissioner's order ‘dismissed’ by Field Inspector

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Apr 4: An order issued by the CAF&PD Commissioner with due approval of the Chief Secre-tary to open four petrol pumps amidst the country-wide lockdown has been dismissed by a Field Inspec-tor of the same department.
According to an order issued by CAF&PD Commissioner Bobby Waikhom  on April 2, four oil pumps namely BB & Co (Sangai-prou), Manipur Highway Station (Imphal East), Highway Petroleum Agency (Tera Keithel) and Ibochou Service Station (Kakwa) should be opened from 7 am to 12 noon everyday during the lockdown period.
As the order reached the  Imphal Sales Office of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), due process was initiated to provide fuels to the four oil pumps.
Meanwhile, a report was sent to the IOCL’s Guwahati office at 9 am yesterday on the number of oil pumps opened in the State under the prevailing situation. 
Many officials thought it could be assumed that a fair number of oil pumps are opened in case four more oil pumps are opened in addition to the oil pumps presently opened at Kang-pokpi, Senapati, Ukhrul, Jiribam and Imphal (PCTC).
However, it has been notified verbally that the order issued by the CAF&PD Commissioner to open four oil pumps has been annulled. 
CAF&PD Field Inspector Haobam Bobby told IOCL officials over telephone that the order issued by the CAF&PD Commissioner has been annulled, sources informed.
Haobam Bobby said that the order issued by the Commissioner got leaked before it was fully drafted and as such, it would not be implemented until hard copies of the order are delivered to oil pumps, conveyed the sources.
Generally oil pumps seldom receive hard copies of orders issued by authorities regarding suspension or resumption of their normal business whether the orders are issued by CAF&PD or Deputy Commissioners.
Most orders are usually sent through Whatsapp or electronic media. Even the IOCL’s State Level Coordinator did not receive hard copy, said the sources.
During their telephonic talk, the Field Inspector was told that the order issued by the CAF&PD Commissioner had been circulated to all concerned and petrol pumps which had no fuels in their tanks had shipped fuels from IOCL depot but one individual who was present beside the Field Inspector intervened and said authoritatively that the four oil pumps should not open until hard copies of the particular order are delivered to them.
If a Field Inspector can dismiss or hold back, through a telephonic command, an order issued by the Commissioner with due approval of the Chief Secretary,  something is very wrong somewhere, added the sources. 
Although fuels are being provided to people working in essential service sector at PCTC, Khoyathong, the CAF&PD Commissioner issued an order today which says that fuels would be provided at the same oil pump to people holding curfew passes issued by CAF&PD Department and  Deputy Commissioners.