117. The Playground

As Manavalan reluctantly opened the door of Velayudham's cabin, and stepped in, Velayudham, who was talking on the phone signaled Manavalan to take his seat.

After completing his telephonic conversation, Velayudham greeted Manavalan with a smile and said, "How are you, Manavalan?"

"I am fine, sir. Mr. Ravi told me that you wanted to see me" said Manavalan.

"Yes. You know what I wanted to see you about!"

Manavalan remained silent.

"It is about that playground. It is lying unused and is becoming wasted due to disuse. What is wrong in giving it to someone for putting it to good use?" asked Velayudham.

"Sir! As you know, that land belongs to the Municipal Corporation. It was meant to be used as a playground by the public. But, because of improper maintenance, bushes and other plants have grown on it. It is also being used as a public toilet. We have written to the Municipal Corporation to clean the place and make it fit to be used as a playground by the public."

"It is true. But they have not done anything about it. They will say they don't have the funds needed for cleaning and refurbishing the place. They have not even started cleaning the storm water drains on the streets. Are they going to do this?"

"Sir?"

"The condition of the land will deteriorate further. The minister says that we can give the land on lease to an applicant, who wants to run a gym there. Why shouldn't we give our approval for this?"

"Sir! A private school situated nearby wanted to clean the place and use it as the playground for their school. They even said that the playground could be used by the public during the weekends and school vacations. But, we didn't accept that proposal!"

"Well. They wanted to take over government land and throw it open to the public for two days in a week, as if they were doing a charity! How could the government accept this?"

"As per that proposal, the place would have been useful to the students. Even on that consideration, we didn't accept the proposal. How can we agree to give the land free to a private firm?"

"We are not giving it for free. We are giving it for rent."

"Sir! How can we justify giving a property worth Rupees Ten Crore on lease for a monthly rent of one thousand rupees?"

"Manavalan! You and I can't decide whether a proposal is reasonable or not. The minister wants to give the land on long term lease to a person known to him. This is an open secret. The higher authorities need a report from our office, stating that that place is in an unusable condition. You are the officer at the field level. You have to give this report. I and my superior officers will endorse your report. Based on our report, the Secretary will issue an order giving the land on lease to the minister's friend for ninety nine years. If you want, I will get you some complaints from some people living in that area that since the land is in an unhygienic condition, it is causing health hazard to the people there, resulting in children falling sick quite often. You can use those complaints as supporting evidence for your report"

"We have already received many such complaints, sir!"

"That simplifies the problem, doesn't it?"

"What is to be done is cleaning that place. We have written to the Municipal Corporation several times, about this."

"Manavalan! This discussion is not going anywhere. I know that you are a man of integrity. I am not asking you to do anything for money. I am only asking you to give a report that will suit the minister's wish. You are not going to give any false report. Is it not a fact that due to disuse, the playground is in an unhygienic condition? You don't have to say in your report that a gym can be set up there. It is enough if you mention that we may consider using that place for some other purpose. Based on that, we will build up the case" pleaded Velayudham.

"I am sorry, sir!" said Manavalan, tersely.

"I think you are aware that your name is in the list of officers to be promoted to the next level. You are going to get your promotion in two or three months, once the list is approved by my superiors. Are you going to miss your promotion?"

"I take leave of you, sir" said Manavalan, getting up from his seat.

"Manavalan! Even if you don't give this report, the minister won't give up. Another person will be posted in your place, a report obtained from him and the proposal implemented. If you got a transfer, please don't think that I had any role in it" said Velayudham.

Manavalan nodded his head with a smile and left the room.

Most probably, he would be transferred to another place. Since it was October, he won't be able to admit his children in the middle of the academic year, in a school, in his new place of working. He would have to leave his family here and go. Maintaining the families at two places would mean additional expenditure, apart from other inconveniences.

This had happened a few times earlier too. Because of these transfers, his finances had been affected.

In spite of having been in government service for several years with a reasonably good salary, Manavalan had not been able to buy a house. He didn't have much savings either.

'Would people laugh at me?'

He was not sure.

Thirukkural

Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 12
Neutrality

Verse 117 (In Tamil)

keduvAga vaiyAdhu ulagam naduvAga
nanRikkaN thangiyAn thAzhvu.

Meaning:

The world will not speak ill of one who has stumbled into poverty

because of being fair and righteous.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'yiLaiyAttuth thidal' by the same author)

Verse 118 (Soon)
Verse 116