The Hindu Business Line : Madras Fertilisers CMD finds himself subject of probe

WHAT does a chief executive of a public sector company do when he reviews the work of its vigilance department and finds the only person under scrutiny is himself?

The Chairman and Managing Director, Madras Fertilisers Ltd (MFL), Mr Sukumar N. Oommen, is finding himself in such a position.

He has urged his colleagues and employees, through an open letter, to fully cooperate with the vigilance division and also provide information to the Chief Vigilance Officer in MFL and to the Central Vigilance Commission.

This issue has cropped up at a time when the company has been fighting off financial sickness and the possibility of privatisation.

The financial problems, its management and workers have consistently maintained, were due to policies governing urea pricing. The plant itself was running optimally in terms of capacity utilisation, productivity and energy costs.

This performance had happened with the full cooperation of the workers.

Workers' representatives expressed concern that the enquiry now weakens the company's position at a critical time. The workers and management have for long been opposing the privatisation move and had accepted a reduction in workforce and cost conservation to turn the company around.

When contacted, Mr Oommen acknowledged that there was an enquiry.

According to the letter, having declared 2006 as the `year of transparency in MFL,' he was willing to make all matters related to the issue public, under the Right to Information Act to those interested.

The charges are: Interference in the work of the Chief Vigilance Officer; misleading board of directors and fraudulent claim of transfer allowance of Rs 1.3 lakh; instigating workers to agitate in collusion with the Madras Fertilisers Staff Union; payment of dues to FOSKOR, its phosphoric acid supplier in South Africa; a complaint by a former employee on jobs not completed; and a complaint of harassment by MFL's former Chief Vigilance Officer, Mr S. Balaji.

In the open letter, Mr Oommen has refuted the allegations of interference, wrong claims of allowance and instigating agitation.

On payment of dues to FOSKOR and the complaint by the former employee, he is awaiting a copy of the reports.

On complaint of harassment, he has said that the he has given a reply to the Fertiliser Department.

Another issue relates to the recruitment of an employee, which he has said is sub judice.

Meanwhile, the Madras Fertilisers Staff Union President, Mr R. Kuchelan, who has come out in support of the chairman's policies, said that the union and management had only worked together for the improved performance of the company.

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