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| Power plays hide and seek, PDD's helpline number 'does not exist' | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, May 7: Though summer has just begun and temperature is still soothing but electricity in various areas of winter capital has started playing hide and seek as the helpline number of department ceases to exist.
On 22/8/2014, the Chief Engineer, Elect Maintenance & R E Wing, Jammu, J&K Power Development Department had started a customer care centre with 24×7 toll free helpline/customer care number 0191-2490878 for addressing public grievances related to electricity in Jammu province.
When the facility was developed it was claimed that all consumers of Jammu could avails the facility but when the customers started making calls on the number the computer replied, "The dialed number does not exist". Moreover, the contact numbers given on the official website of JKPDD, for suggestions or complaints were also found non functional as no one was there to reply the customers.
The summer is still in its beginning in Jammu but electricity curtailment has increased in various parts of Jammu city and surrounding districts.
"Due to rains and winds in last some days, the climate is not so hot but without ceiling fans, it is not possible to spend night. On last Saturday, due to winds, the power was curtailed by department in various areas of city and had resumed the same only in the morning of Sunday or at afternoon", a local Satwari area said.
Another local of old Jammu city Pawan Kumar said that he had also made calls on the helpline number but got the same reply of "non-existing phone number".
"Whether the helpline number was given by EMRE division Jammu, only to pat their back or it was actually for customers' benefits. It seems it was merely as show off by officials. Every official has two cell phone numbers but only to evade any query from public, they have given landline contact numbers on the website that too are of no use as none reply on these numbers", Kumar said, adding that even on the website, still the cabinet minister was not changed after change of portfolio.
Anuj Gupta of Sarwal Vikas Nagar said that whenever winds blow, power was curtailed for 4-5 hours together. "Instead of curtailing power for one locality but they curtailed power for entire feeder and if there was any damage to transformer, they have no provision to change the transformer instantly", Anuj said, adding that despite full-fledged e-metering of the area, power curtailment and fluctuation has been going on.
He further said that even the officers at the offices didn't pick up their phones.
Executive Engineer of PDD Vinod Gandotra said that the same helpline number was changed and a new helpline number 18001807666 was launched and it was still operational. |
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