That most of the government departments are unfriendly towards the citizens, especially the lower rank staff, is not news. But my experience in the PWD (Water division) amounted to total harassment.
The department has started issuing water bills, which looks like ATM slips or shopping bills. Being a small rectangular slip, I misplaced the bill at home. Though I remembered the amount and the due date, I however wanted a copy of my original bill for payment. For this I approached the Water division at St Inez. I was harassed as they initially made me run from one section to another section, and to add to my woes the concerned dealing hands were arrogant, rude and disrespectful towards the public.
I was sent to the Revenue Cell from where I was arrogantly shunted to a higher officer. When I approached him he rudely asked me ‘who sent you here?’ I very politely explained to him my problem and only after this did he calm down. He assured to help me out and called the same dealing hand to his cabin. The lower rank employee agreed to give me the original copy of the bill. When I asked why he behaved so unprofessionally towards me, knowing that giving a copy of bills is his work, he arrogantly asked me to ‘shut up’ and dared me to approach any newspaper to complain against him.
This letter is essentially to ensure that government, when speaks about serving common man, should teach their employees, especially the lower level staff, manners and etiquettes.
The service providing departments should be people friendly on the lines of efforts by the Goa Police department…
Government should take note of this and ensure its staff respects every citizens, since their duty is to service and not to harass citizens.
