Meeting Project Objectives Differently
"Blind people work together and make parts of Boilers at Trichy for
IOCL’s Paradip Refinery project …..… An experience sharing.
21st December 2011 has
etched an unforgettable memory in my mind. I was at Tiruchirapalli on a mission
to expedite supplies of Boilers at BHEL’s works for Power plant of IOCL’s
ongoing Paradip Refinery Project. BHEL has outsourced non-pressure parts of
these boilers to certain vendors nearby Trichy. ‘ORBIT’ is among such outsourced
vendors, who is making Pins & Clamps of these boilers for our project. We
decided to visit ORBIT also for review and expediting balance supplies. When we
reached ORBIT works, we were greeted by their President Mr. P.R. Pandi, who
himself is a blind person. To my utter
surprise, the whole ORBIT workshop is run by blind persons. Though I was
aware of certain special schools and institutions for blind persons but never
heard about any manufacturing industry run completely by such persons. What I
saw next inside the workshop is quite difficult to believe. I had never
witnessed such well coordinated and coherent working by blind persons. People
were segregating the raw material, feeding the raw material on cutting, shearing
and punching machines with the help of their fellow blind friends, collecting the
final products and bagging them after quality checks. The whole manufacturing process
was efficiently done and finished product was meeting the quality standards. I
was lost in deep admiration seeing their untiring efforts for making vital
parts for my project and emotionally touched. Their interpersonal understanding
and collective effort was exemplary and far better as compared to normal
workers engaged in other industrial units. Below photos depict it completely
but silently…
People were working with no ego and communication was being made
not with vital sensory organs like eyes, but with their hearts. I was thrilled
and compelled to think that dedicated and sincere working by these special
people is a great example towards values of humanity which defies all laws of
Project management. Calm and peace prevail here in their coordinated rhythm of
working against any feeling of industrial acrimony. What came next was even
more surprising. A physically handicapped welder was doing welding on the job
and was assisted by a blind helper. We saw his blind helper almost running and
going to store room next door to fetch the electrodes quickly. When enquired
how he could do such job with much ease, my fellow companion from BHEL, Mr. Jai
Ram told me that every worker working here is fully conversant with the layout
of workshop and does the job with calculated steps – concepts of time and
motion study, well grasped by them by heart. I was overwhelmed by their indomitable
spirit, everlasting zeal and working in perfect harmony.
At the end, ORBIT president Mr. Pandi requested me ‘Sir, if you
come across any blind person, please direct him to me, we will make him our
team member here’. I controlled my emotions, advised them to maintain timelines
and quickly moved out with mixed feelings, thinking and admiring effort and
passion of ORBIT in this endeavour and with firm conviction that Paradip
Refinery Project will soon be a realised dream.
Arvind Kumar
Chief Project Manager-PDRP
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.
Refineries Head Quarters, New Delhi
Mobile: 9582262166
Email: kumarar@iocl.co.in
PS:I would like to thank IOCL Management & BHEL team for
giving me an opportunity to
have such wonderful experience with a noble cause during project
expediting at BHEL,Trichy."
