Mailbag

Hike in electricity

Sir,
This has reference to the letter ''Hike in Electricity Charges (DE 30/10/1998) by Shri B L Kachhroo.

I fully endorse the contents of the letter that the Government instead of considering any further hike in electricity Tariff must plug loophole in the recovery of revenue on account of sale of power. The Electricity rates presently in vouge were sanctioned by the Government vide Govt Order No. 356-PDD of 1997 dated 17.11.1997 and there appears no justification to revise then after a short spell of 10 months. The electricity rate revised were 48 percent above the prevelant rates for all categories of consumers (i.e domestic, GT commercial supply, bulk commercial supply, for Agriculture load, large scale/medium scale/small scale industrial sector) before revision of rate vide aforesaid Government orders. Despite, enforcement of above rates, the recovery has fallen short of expected targets and this can be the reason for the recent reported decision of the Government to revise the present electricity tariff in less than one year. Before doing so, the Government ought to have made an indepth study for the short fall in revenue realization and taken adequate preventive steps to plug the loopholes in the system of recovery to avoid the possible leakage or theft of power by the unscrupulous elements, who generally manage to do so with the connivance with officials of PDD.

The Transmission and distribution losses of power which are not more than 15 percent at national level are reportedly of the order of 61 percent, the highest as compared to other states in the country. The main cause of such huge losses is theft of electricity by the unscrupulous elements which are included in the transmission/distribution to cover up the irregularity. The system of introducting the MCB installation at Distribution/receiving centre as also at the premises of individual consumers was thought of by the Government sometimes in 1988 but it could not materialise due to interference by some persons from engineering wing. The proposed steps of hike in electricity rates even after including service charges directly connected with sale of power will not help to cover the gap between procurement rates and supply rates unless stringent preventive steps are taken by the Government to arrest the tendency of theft of electricity and system in properly streamlined. The common man is already facing the brunt of soaring prices especially of essential commodities. It would be, therefore, an unwise step to hike the prices at this juncture.

Yours etc....
Sain Dass Sumbria
Pacci Dakki Jammu.

Inconvenience to Pensioners

Sir,
Pensioners drawing pension from Talab Tiloo Treasury would like to convey their thanks to the Government, through your esteemed paper, for having shifted the Treasury to its new complex at Tirth Nagar Talab Tiloo Jammu. It was a long standing demand of the pensioners as they were facing numerous problems owing to lack of space at the previous location of the treasury. The pensioners had usually to wait in the open for long hours without any shelter over them. There was inadequate seating arrangement for the weak and infirm persons.

Some additions and alterations are presently being executed to give a face lift to the new complex. At this juncture the authorities could conveniently keep provision for providing bare minimum facilities inside the complex. There is lot of space which could be utilized fruitfully so that the pensioners have not suffer for want of seating, toilet and drinking water facilities.

It is also hoped henceforth the staff as also the security people posed at the Treasury and dealing with pensioners would extend a helping hand to these persons of the society who were once respectable servants of the Government. Every Government employee has to retire sooner or latter notwithstanding the status enjoyed by him. A pensioner and a Government employee are two branches of the same tree and have to behave like brother or sister, as the case may be with each other. A pensioner having served the Government before his retirement can be the best judge of the limitations of a Government employee within which he is required to function. Similarly a Government employee has to understand and appreciate the problems which the pensioner faces, day after day, owing to his advanced age.

The last but not the least is the problem relating to inadequate funds allotted to the treasury which has resulted in piling up of cases of the pensioners to whom pensionery benefits have been authorised by the Accountant General. The flow of funds is so inadequate that uptil now only those cases which were received till first week of June 1998 have been partially finalised. Partially because they have either been paid gratuity or commuted value of pension only and for the remaining part, which is withheld, for want of funds, the pensioners have to hang around the treasury indefinitely. If the funds are regularly allotted to the treasury on the basis of its actual requirement the pensioners waiting for the last six months would have a sigh of relief as otherwise they are compelled to make regular rounds to find out the fate of their cases.

May we hope that the aforesaid problems would be taken care of by the Government at their earliest convenience.
Yours etc....
B L Kachroo
Talab Tiloo
Jammu.

Health Clinics or cheats

Sir,
This has reference to the news item under the caption 'Police raids health clinics' which appeared in Daily Excelsior on 24-10-1998.

Of late a mushroom growth of health clinics has been noticed in and around Jammu. The owners of these clinics claim to be doctors with degrees from various institutions including U K and USA. The signboards of these clinics indicate that they can treat all diseases including Aids, Cancer and Diabetes. The list of diseases which they treat is unending.

If the claim of these clinics had been true then there was no need for the Government to spend large sums of money on research and health care of its people. It is a known fact that there is no treatment for diabetes and Aids under any branch of Medical Science. The Diabetes can be controlled but it cannot be cured. Same is the case with Cancer. There is, however, absolutely no treatment for Aids.

These clinics charge hefty sums from the patients suffering from the above diseases on account of cost of medicines. Since the medicine is supplied by the clinics themselves, the patient does not know the name of medicine which he takes. Such patients who have lost hope on all sides are lured to these clinics and become their victims. They loose handsome amount of money without any benefit.

Normally it was the duty of our Health Deptt to look into the functioning of these Health clinics with a view to find out whether the incumbents incharge of these clinics were doctors in the real sense. Our Health Deptt awakes on occurrence of any calamity and not otherwise. May we hope that the Health Department who is responsible for health care of the people, in cooperation with other concerned departments, would look into the matter and ensure that only genuine health clinics manned by qualified doctors are allowed to function in the State particularly in the city of temples where the number has increased at an alarming rate during the past few years.

It is not necessary for the department to wait for the complaints before initiating action against the law breakers. There are enough provisions in various Acts, Codes and Rules which can be invoked as and when necessary to ensure safety of people from unscrupulous elements indulging in the aforementioned activities.
Yours etc.......
(B L Kachroo)
Talab Tiloo
Jammu.