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UPPCL to start spl drive to connect with consumers
Energy minister AK Sharma directed officials in this regard in a meeting in the Shakti Bhawan here on Saturday, asking officials to obtain feedback and suggestions from MPs, MLAs, and other people’s representatives and act upon the same.
LUCKNOW Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) will launch a one-week state-wide drive between July 31 and August 6, contacting consumers and people’s representatives, to strengthen the power supply system and quick disposal of consumer complaints.
Energy minister AK Sharma directed officials in this regard in a meeting in the Shakti Bhawan here on Saturday, asking officials to obtain feedback and suggestions from MPs, MLAs, and other people’s representatives and act upon the same.
“The minister in the meeting said that all the superintending engineers (SE) in districts will meet the representatives in their areas and take their feedback and suggestions concerning power supply,” a government spokesperson said.
The minister said the SEs would also invite MLAs, MPs, mayors, corporations, etc to their office or the circuit office once during the campaign. The minister suggested that the help of these representatives should be taken to encourage consumers to pay their bills.
Meanwhile, an official present in the meeting said that the minister repeatedly tried to suggest that engineers were not able to give their best performance because of an atmosphere of fear in the department.
“The minister insinuated that since earlier UPPPCL chairman M Devraj, who was transferred on Friday, was too tough and punished (corrupt) personnel every now and then, they remained in constant fear because of which, they were not able to deliver,” the official said.
The minister, it is believed, had differences with Devraj over some issues, including the way the latter handled the power strike in February and did not agree to rollback penal action taken against strikers and their leaders.
“The minister had been indirectly targeting the former chairman for months by repeatedly saying in meetings that UPPCL officials were acting as ‘Dhritarashtra’ (turning a blind eye) even as corruption prevailed in the department,” said another official.
