Today scenes of excitements, hot exchanges and public agitation were witnessed in the office of Assistant Engineer [Telephones] at Paonta Sahib. There was a Hungama in the office for nearly one hour. Panchyati Raj representatives in the presence of media persons announced to launch an agitation against the poor telephone services and misbehavior of BSNL officers with the residents of area.
Chairperson of Paonta Block Development Committee [BDC], Ms Lata Devi, Senior Congress leader and BDC Vice Chairman Mr. Sant Ram Chauhan along with over 16 BDC members went to the office of Assistant Engineer to complaint about the dead telephones in their area for the past over six months. According to Panchyati Raj officials when they started telling the tale troubles faced by the residents of over dozens of Panchyats of Paonta valley represented by them due to non function of telephones and people were paying telephone bills for their dead telephones for the past over six months, Assistant Engineer allegedly misbehaved with them and reportedly asked them to go out of his office. Panchyati Raj officials were taken to surprise on the alleged misbehavior of the officer, they all lost their temper and there was a big Hangama in the office for nearly one hour which was watched by the local media also.
Unpleasant situation arose after officer’s comments, scenes of excitements were witnessed and there were heated exchanges. All the Panchyati Raj representatives condemned the behaviour of the officer in strong words. Panchyati Raj representatives alleged that they were totally fed up with the continuous misbehavior of the officer with the common people of the area who come here to complaint about their dead telephones. They charged that the officer had adopted the ‘style of misbehaving’ with the BSNL consumers just to ‘hide the misdoings’ of the department. They alleged that telephones were dead in large number of Panchyats for over six months and department was compelling the people to deposit bills for their dead telephones. They charged that people of the area were forced to subscribe cell phones of Mobile companies working in the Uttra Khand and paying heavy bills of roaming charges as in the most of the area there was no signal of BSNL mobile services.
Mr. Sant Ram Chauhan, Vice Chairman, BDC said that they were public representatives and were answerable to the people for every difficulty faced by them. He condemned the misbehaviour of the officer with the public representatives. He said that despite an agitation against poor services of the department last year department did nothing to improve pathetic condition of telephone service in the area. He announced that an agitation would be launched against the poor services and misbehavior of BSNL officers very soon. He said that matter would be brought in the notice of Telecom Minister of country. He added that hundreds of consumers of Paonta valley had already surrendered their telephone sets in the Paonta office in protest against the misbehaviour and poor services of the department.
Working as district correspondent with The Tribune & Danik Tribune in Sirmour.
