Meter readers demand better working conditions
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, NOV 13
The Electricity department meter readers have demanded improvement in the condition of their working.
The meter readers, who met on Saturday to discuss their problems, said they will submit a detailed memorandum to the government seeking immediate action.
Speaking to reporters here after the meeting M L Shetkar, President, Goa Government Employees Association (GGEA) said meter readers have been excessively over loaded.
“There are just 450 meter readers in the State and we need some thousand more to reduce the burden on existing meter readers,” Shetkar said. They also demanded that inter-state seniority of LDC and meter readers have to be strictly maintained.
One of the common complaint by meter readers is that once they are posted as meter readers — they are deprived of all promotional chances.
“Most enter the service as meter readers and also retire as meter readers. I have been a meter reader for the last fifteen years and there has been no promotion,” says Sadanand Salgaonkar, a meter reader.
They work on Saturday and Sundays as well to finish overload of work but at the same also have to face people’s ire if there is wrong reading.
But wrong reading can be due to various factors says meter readers and it is not necessarily their fault.
Wrong placement of meter is the most common problem faced by meter readers.
Sometimes meters readers are installed or placed at a such place in the building that it is difficult to get the correct reading, complaint meter readers.
In the old and dilapidated building the meters are installed in some corner with wires dangling over it.
The GGEA said the Electricity Department has to see that meters are installed at places accessible to meter readers so that they can give correct bills.
The complaints of consumers getting inflated electricity bills are quite common. In this context meter readers complaint they are blamed for no fault of theirs’.
Meter reading can go wrong if the meter is not installed at proper location. A meter reader from Ponda, Damordar Naik highlighted unique difficulty they face while reading a meter.
“If there is dog in the house our task becomes difficult. Can you do your work if there is ferrous dog standing next to you and glaring at you?”, asks Naik.
The President of GGEA submit a memorandum to the government about various problems faced by meter readers.
They have also demanded that their monthly allowance be increased from Rs 200 to Rs 500.
