PCPNDT Wisdom

“Sir, I am going to apply for PCPNDT registration. But I have a problem” one of my past lecturers told me. “What is it?” I asked. “I have my own place to perform ultrasonography. I am qualified to do it. But I don't have an ultrasound machine. I am planning to buy a second-hand machine to practice on. When I am good, I will buy a new machine.” This sounded like buying a second-hand car when one learns driving. Once one is good, one sells it off and buys a new car. But it is understandable in the case of a car. If you drive a new car and get into a vehicular accident, the financial loss is much more than when the car is a used one. There are no accidents with an ultrasound machine except wrong diagnosis. “So what is the problem?” I asked. “The person who will sell me the machine does not have any invoice for the machine. He has lost all papers of purchase of the machine.” “But you don't need any papers. You can register first. Then you can buy a machine. In fact, you cannot buy a machine without a registration as per the PCPNDT act.” “The MOH wants an invoice for the proposed purchase of a machine, or he won't accept my application for registration.” MOH was the short form of Medical Officer Health. I wonder if there can be medical officers not related to healthcare. “Tell him the chairman of the advisory committee is your friend, and that he said it is not necessary to have an invoice.” “Sir, I don't want any trouble with the MOH” he said. “He will trouble me with other things then. It is best not to antagonize the civic body.” “But the MOH has to act under my advice for implementation of the PCPNDT act. He cannot be doing a wrong thing” I said. “ .......” “OK. I will give you a solution. An invoice is something like a bill given by the seller to the buyer. Ask the seller to write an invoice on his official stationery, addressing it to you, giving machine name and serial number, and quoting a price.” He liked that idea. His application was scheduled to reach our last meeting of the PCPNDT advisory committee. Unfortunately the concerned MOH did not make it. So I don't know how the invoice was finally managed. I will know a couple of months later, during our next meeting. I am looking forward to meeting that MOH, but he might send his assistant, as they often do. Then I shall miss out on the pleasure of sorting out this issue with him.