The `Committee on Subordinate Legislation (Rajya Sabha) on PF and Service Regulation', with Saroj Khaparde (chairperson), Manohar Kant Dhyani, Omkar Singh Lakawat, Ramachandran Pillai, Rumandia Ramachandraiah, Sukhdev Singh, Survyavhan Patil Vahadane as members, is on a six-day tour to Bangalore and Ooty.

As per their schedule, they were to stay in Bangalore for the first three days. Their first two meetings on Monday with the Central Silk Board and Coffee Board lasted nearly three hours. The afternoon schedule included sight-seeing in Bangalore. On Tuesday, their only meeting with BEL lasted three hours. Suggestions were given on PF and Central Silk Board rules.

On Wednesday, they departed for Ooty for a meeting with SBM officials and were escorted by its representatives. A mini-meeting andsight-seeing programme is scheduled for Thursday. On Friday, they will travel to Coimbatore where Textile Ministry officials will play host.

Incidentally, SBM doesn't have even a single branch in Ooty and their plea to have meeting in Bangalore fell on deaf ears. In fact, some of the bank's top officials suggested that the meeting be held in Bangalore and the Ooty trip arranged later, to no avail.

The expenses in Bangalore, including a stay in a five-star hotel, will be shared by the Central Silk Board, Coffee Board and BEL while the Ooty expenses will be taken care of by SBM, which has organised a special coach. ``We have received special instructions from the Centre to take care of them and are doing it as per instructions,'' said an SBM official on condition of anonymity.

What has irked most public sector companies and other Government organisations is the timing of the visit. One official involved in organising the tour said, ``I don't know why we are going to Ooty, when a war-like situation doesn'twarrant a picnic. However, madam (the chairperson) is interested in visiting Bangalore and Ooty and that's it.''

Most officials here were annoyed at frequent visits by RS members. ``Last year, there were five to seven visits. Each trip costs us around Rs 7 lakh. They have all to be received by chairpersons at the airport and be garlanded, after which they have to be put up in the best of hotels. Separate cars, along with an official, have to be organised to take care of their needs,'' they said.

Another official said, ``The last time we were asked to make arrangements for 50 cars, of which nearly 24 went vacant. Why should they misuse public money, when we are all donating at least a day's pay for the Kargil victims.''