HERALD: Electricity Dept has few men to power up Vasco

[An interesting issue for Vascokars. Would you buy the usual official argument that short-staff is to blame? In a state which has the highest bureaucracy-per-capita, we keep hearing this version. Any opinions? FN]

ELECTRICITY DEPT HAS FEW MEN TO POWER UP VASCO

Herald, Monday, Dec 26, 2006

HERALD CORRESPONDENT

MORMUGAO, Dec 25 -- Given the high density of industrial and domestic buildings in the port town, one would have imagined that the Electricity Department would be present in full strength.

On the contrary, the acute shortage of staff at the Electricity Department has posed a number of problems in the maintenance of power supply at Vasco.

Residents have complained that officials are rarely at the department to attend to electricity-related complaints.

The general grouse is that officials either don't lift the phone or simply state that linesmen are attending to a complaint.

At times, angry locals have literally forced the linesmen to come out of the office and restore a faulty line.

Speaking to Herald, Executive Engineer Lakshmanan S explained that the deparmtnt is faced with acute shortage of manpower.

"Many have retired and their posts are yet to be filled up," said Lakshmanan.

According to the Executive Engineer, the Mormugao Sub-Div IV presently has 21 linesmen and three JEs, though the actual requirement is 35 linesmen. The Vasco Sub-Div, he added, has 53 linesmen as opposed to the actual requirement is 75 linesmen.

"Due to shortage of linesmen, when any power is disrupted simultaneously at two places, the linesmen cannot attend to both calls at the same time. Peopledon't always understand the difficulty the department faces due to lack of staff," said Lakshmanan. "Sometimes, the department cannot even dispatch the required number of linesmen to solve the problem."

Commenting on the erratic behaviour of linesmen at the complaint's section, he pointed out that linesmen are already burdened with other complaints and tend to snap at people who insist on immediate restoration of a faulty line. Lakshmanan, however, promised to look into the matter.

The Executive Engineer informed that one once the new line starts from the Kadamba bus stand, the problem in the city would be solved and added, the workload on the city linesman would be reduced.

He also mentioned that the department will install a new transformer at the Kadamba bus stand power station, which will also benefit parts of Mangor area. (ENDS)