Sarthak Kanjilal & Nachiketa
Port Blair, July 18: The Electricity Department is always in controversy. Even after committing several blunders in recent past, the department has not learnt anything from its mistake.
Things have gone so wrong within, that the department is presently publishing load shedding schedule in local dailies like weekly horoscope column and dependent totally on Independent power producers for power.
Adding to the plight the powerless department has now become meter-less. Most of the site offices do not have new electric meters and as a result one has to wait for months and months to get a new electric meter.
Mr. M Ram, an angry resident of Brichgunj told Andaman Sheekha today that he placed requisition for new electric connection in the month of May 2012 but till date he failed to get a new meter.
When contacted Mr. RP Singh, the Executive Engineer (HQ) told Andaman Sheekha that the department is expecting to get new batch of electric meters by July 2012 end.
“Inspection of electric meters is over and all inspected meters have already been dispatched. Hope we will receive 6500 meters on 30th July,” Mr. Singh added.
Last time on May 16,2012 when Andaman Sheekha raised this issue, an Assistant Engineer had said the consignment of new electric meters is under shipment but sadly even after nearly two months the shipment has not reached Port Blair.
Clearly miscalculation and impromptu action in placing requisition to the supplier made people to struggle hard to obtain new electric meters in South Andaman.
The question is when the department knew that there is a routine demand of electric meters and the stock is going to be exhausted soon then why no prompt action was taken to place requisition for the electric meters, well in advance. Hope the department will learn atleast from this mistake and make a proper Inventory management system, in order to prevent this type of hue and cry scenario in future.
