Diary Entry - 13th May | “The Cyclone Anomaly and the Questions Within”

It was still dark when I opened my eyes. A heavy, murmuring sky loomed overhead. The dull roar of thunder echoed somewhere far, then closer. Morning had barely begun, and the power had already tripped. Rain followed soon after - sheets of it slapping the rooftop, a rhythmic chaos. But at exactly 7:00 AM, like some celestial curtain had been pulled back, it all ceased. The skies cleared. Birds returned. Even my driver showed up early. I reached the plant ahead of time.

I walked slower today. Something from last night had left its mark - not physically, but something emotional, personal. I won’t write about it here. Let’s just say... some people act strong only because they are weak. That weakness comes out as tantrums. You can’t reason with it.

I skipped the morning meeting. Not in defiance. I just didn’t have it in me today. Instead, I walked straight into the CCR. Sat there with the operators. Listened. Observed. The power failure had impacted both lines. They were just getting restarted. Everyone was in motion - but the heaviness from earlier still sat with me.


A Curious Pattern Unfolds

While browsing through yesterday’s Daily Production Report (DPR), a peculiar observation caught my eye. A gut feeling at first. But the deeper I looked, the stranger it got.

Line-1: Cyclone 1B jam tendency

• 2:00 AM - 2:20 AM

• 4:40 AM - 5:20 AM

Line-2: Cyclone 1A jam tendency

• 2:05 AM - 2:35 AM

• 4:40 AM - 5:10 AM

Same stoppages. At nearly the same time. In two different kilns. Located 10 meters apart. On the same floor. What are the chances?

Twice in one night - almost mirrored timings. Same type of issue. Cyclone jamming tendencies.

I reviewed it again. Called the Process Manager. Verified logbooks, handwritten entries, trend charts. Everything matched. These weren’t operator errors or random events.


The Implications

You need to understand what cyclone jamming means in a running kiln. Imagine the entire kiln system abruptly coming to a halt because the draft becomes zero. That’s not a small event.

And here’s the chain of reaction:

  • Operator notices something's wrong.
  • Attendant is called.
  • Attendant needs to already be near the problem spot.
  • Blaster has to be run.
  • Material flow resumes.
  • System stabilizes.
  • Restart begins.
  • All this... in just 15 - 20 minutes? Twice? In both kilns? Synchronized?

Something is off. Either a very convenient coincidence, or a deliberate act. An attempt to create bottlenecks, reduce feed rates, introduce slowdowns. This isn’t just affecting production - it’s crippling it.


Reflections and Frustration

Even after pointing it out clearly, not a single HOD showed any concern. Not even the process head.

That’s the worst part.


I wonder:

Why do I keep spotting such patterns?

Why can’t others see them?

What’s the difference? Am I overthinking, or am I just wired differently?

And if I am... then why am I wasting my time and intellect here?


I’m not being arrogant - but I can’t pretend anymore. There’s a restlessness within me. This plant, this team, these challenges - they’re lesser than what I can handle.
So what now? What next? Is my dissatisfaction a symptom of my potential being underutilized?

Shouldn’t I have been somewhere else? Shouldn’t I be somewhere else?

Or is it not about the place, but the purpose?


DPM and Action

There was no proper Daily Planning Meeting. No job list, no urgency. I had enough.

I recalled 13 major pending jobs and posted them in the WhatsApp group. These will now be tracked daily. That much, I will ensure.


Final Note

I didn’t have lunch today. Skipped it. Just wasn’t hungry. But now, as I’m writing this - 6:00 PM - I’m starving.

Hunger of many kinds, it seems.

Key Points of the Day:

  • Heavy rain and power failure early morning; both plants needed restart.
  • Skipped morning meeting due to emotional fatigue.
  • Identified a highly suspicious pattern in Cyclone jamming in both kilns - same timings, same stoppage type.
  • Raised alarm and submitted report to management; no response from senior HODs.
  • Reflected deeply on purpose, misalignment of capability and environment.
  • No formal DPM; self-initiated action by listing 13 critical jobs for tracking.
  • Emotional unrest continued alongside operational responsibility.


[Sawan Jasoliya with technicians, doing maintenance of kiln brick-lining machine.]




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