| PDD Linemen, Meter-readers, JEs targeting Poor & Middle class..? | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 21: Even while officials of Power Development Department (PDD) have geared up in collecting arrears worth over Rs 1600 crores from commoners, commercial institutions, Industrial units as well as various Government departments, certain field officers deputed in different parts of the region here are opting "pick and choose policy" while disconnecting the power supply connections.
Such an attitude has cropped up severe resentment among the general public.
Reliable sources in PDD have revealed to Early Times that, "There have been strict instructions from the higher-ups to ensure collection of full amount of pending due bills or disconnect the power supply from both resident and commercial sectors. Further, for residential section, their amount has been kept with the bar of Rs 5,000 i.e. if the amount is 5,000 or more, the power supply connection shall be disconnected if the same is not deposited one time."
"However," reliable sources further revealed that, "certain officials of PDD deputed in field area including Linemen, Meter Readers and Junior Engineers (JEs) are hell bent in violating strict directions of the higher authorities. They are leaving out the influential persons and focusing mostly on the poor and middle class persons."
"Their (field officials) modus operandi is very simple. When the inspecting team visits the localities, the field staff guides them to those places that are inhabited by poor and middle classes and prefer to ignore the influential persons' houses. Even if the senior officials heading the inspecting teams points out the big houses, they disconnect the power supply connections for a short time period. And later during evening hours, they reinstate the power supply for certain obvious reason, known to them,"
It is pertinent to mention here that an amount of Rs 1,600 crores is pending as due arrears from both commercial and residential sectors. Out of the said total amount about Rs 110 crores is the amount due from the residential sector of Jammu district, which according to the senior officials of the department has to be collected by March 31.
"However, the way the field staff is working, the department is unlikely to meet the set target. And at the same time, a big dent has been made on Government's image, the way certain officials at helm of affairs are discharging the duties by just targeting the poor and middle classes," shared sources.
Despite repeated attempts, Chief Engineer, PDD, Jammu was not available for comment. |
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