A large company won a contract for a waste management project in a global tender. Everything clean so far. Then, it started. Party 1 called up for Rs 8 crore. Had to be paid. Party 2 called up for Rs 10 crore. Paid. Party 3 called up for Rs 7 crore. Paid.

Then, a senior leader from Party 3 called up for a central fund contribution of Rs 10 crore. Company refused to pay. Letter comes from a government ministry stalling the project. CEO of the company is verbally abused when he goes to meet the senior leader and told he has no other choice but to pay. After the payment is done, another letter comes clearing the project.

Even though one knows corruption is happening, when I heard this story first-hand from a friend, I was furious from the inside. But that fury is countered by frustration knowing we cannot do anything “the system.”