The tall claims made by the State power department for improving basic amenities got setback as the computers and poor server system at billing collection centres increases the plight of the consumers, who come to deposit the electricity bills well before time.
Even after introducing several steps for enhancing basic amenities at billing collection centres, the consumers are forced to stand in the long serpent queue to deposit their electricity bills. The situation is equally worst at Araghar billing collection centres. Out of the three computers installed at Araghar billing collection, two are not operating.
The billing clerks are forced to give manual receipt tothose consumers, who submit their electricity bills besides, it isalso made mandatory for the billing clerk to update the bills number and amount on computer in order to receive its challan.
One of the billing clerks who do not want his name to be quoted said that the computers are not functioning for the last one week.
After expressing his resentment over the issue, he said that senior officials were told many times but nothing much has been done so far in this regard.
He said that the problem of server has become a perennial problem now-a-days resulting the computerized bills are not given to consumers. It is equally important to mention here is that Uttarakhand
Electricity Regulatory Commission regularly instructs state power department for enhancing basic facilities at the billing collection centres in the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions of Uttarakhand.
One of the senior department officials who wished anonymity told The Pioneer that the department concerned has been asked to repair the server in order to redress the grievances of the consumers.
He claimed that every possible step would be surely introduced by the department for improving basic amenities at the billing collection centres.