To the Officer on duty ( Surveyors Section)

IRDA.

Respected sir,

A hearty welcome to SURVEYORS=SOLDIERS.

First of all many thanks for allowing us this freedom to voice our honest opinion on crucial matters related to Surveying profession in India.

Unfortunate outcome of the reforms, is that the Surveyors as Self Entrepreneurs are finding it difficult to survive. The shift is clearly taking place in favor of networking Surveying organizations. This is a bad or good movement, is for you to introspect and decide further course of action.

One very important message we would like to give TODAY is to reiterate our request, which we have made no. of times through various media, and that is to withdraw CATEGORIZATION without any further delay. IRDA should not shift this responsibility to the new upcoming Institute – which itself does not have a clear mandate of all surveyors, and is in a very primitive stage. It is too early to expect any such memorandum from this new Institute before 3 years from now.

The status of old Institute needs to be clarified for the welfare of Surveyors of India, so that they do not get misled or misguided by the false promises of either.

Rather than only blaming the Surveyors and penalizing them from every nook and corner, a proactive, friendly and judiciary approach shall be more welcome while dealing with issues concerning fate of Surveyors in IndiaIndividual surveyors are already facing various threats:

• Inordinate pressures from Insurance Companies and Intermediaries to issue favorable reports overlooking basic facts (Accomodation and Adjustment is the key to survival in Insurance sector today)
• Many Companies are using hired Surveyors or their own officers for survey jobs, and the % is rising day by day
• It has become a fashion to call an Out of city Surveyor or a Networking firm surveyor in many cases, thereby keeping the localites away from their worthy prospects.
• Surveyors are not provided the freedom at work and due to pressure for releasing the reports within 3 days/ likewise, the investigative and Loss minimization areas can not be given due justice as per the Roles and Responsibilities defined in the gazette.

One most not forget the fact that in times of calamities like Earthquake, Flood, Cyclone, Riots etc. It is that SURVEYOR who faces the survivors of the deceased and the claimant, gives them the solace and instills the confidence in the basic value system of Insurance, at times risking their lives too. What is the protection for them?  

Thus, in all goodness to preserve the sanctity of the INSURANCE sector, IRDA must adopt a logical, rational, and all acceptable method to deal with the problems of Surveyors and give them the desired warmth, respect and education like a father gives to his child, and not just throw their complaints like a junk. If the issues are not handled on priority basis, it can only bring in more bitterness and rudeness in the profession, which I believe is not the objective of IRDA.

WE HOPE THIS TIME OUR VIEWS SHALL BE HEARD IN TOTALITY.

Thanking you for all your good efforts in the RIGHT direction.

We remain,
Sincerely yours,
On behalf of SURVEYORS=SOLDIERS

Shailesh Shah
Editor