The Hindu : New Delhi News : Readers' Mail

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 11, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Readers' Mail

Hello, MTNL....

Sir, -- My father received a phone call from Telephone Exchange AD Block, Pitampura, around 4 p.m. on March 31 in connection with installation of a broadband connection registered in my name (Registration No. 198646, dated 13-01-2005, booked by me on phone No. 1500 of MTNL for my phone No. 27344717). The caller informed my father that the broadband service "cannot be installed because phone No. 27344717 stands in the name of N. S. Kapur and not D. S. Kapur".

This quite simply is preposterous. The telephone bills for this number are delivered in my name, D. S. Kapur, and not in the name of my father. MTNL has simply to check up and verify the facts.

The person on phone 1500 of MTNL when contacted confirmed the said registration and advised us to contact Nodal Officer MTNL, Satnam Singh, at 22002242 or 27124455. About these phones, the less said the better. Once again 1500 was approached and informed that one of these numbers was incorrect and the other simply silent. This time round I was told very curtly to contact the AGM and get the desired number from 197. Is there any solution in sight?

D. S. Kapur,

K(U)-6, Pitampura,

Delhi - 110 088.

Hit-and-run....

Sir, -- On March 21, as I was passing through Sector 4-5 of R. K. Puram (leading towards Hyatt) at around 8-50 a.m., a mini-bus (registration number: ?99 12573K) belonging to the Ministry of Defence tried to overtake my car -- DL 9CF 6356 (registered in the name of my father, Mr. S.R. Dhaleta) -- from the left side, near a bus stand where a Blueline bus was already parked. In the process of overtaking me, from the wrong side, the mini-bus rammed into my vehicle's left side rear view mirror and left scratches on my car. The driver -- Karan Singh (as on his badge) of Army Service Corps -- stopped 50 metres ahead and apologised to me, accepting his mistake.

Meanwhile, I called up the police on phone No. 100 and waited for the PCR. The driver, at the instigation of his passengers, tried to speed away from the scene. When I tried to stop him by standing in front of the bus, he threatened to run over me.

The arrival of the PCR van was useless as the culprit had already fled. However, we lodged a written complaint at the R. K. Puram Sector-4 police station. But they have not been able to trace the driver so far.

Will the authorities concerned own up and take proper action against the driver and pay me for the damages? Fleeing the scene of accident was least expected from Defence people. I have incurred a loss of Rs. 550 for the side view mirror while the repair work on the scratches may go up to Rs. 4,000 as per an estimate by the Maruti service centre mechanic.

Surender K. Dhaleta,

1013, Sector 4,R. K. Puram,New Delhi - 110 022.

Wrong number

Sir, -- My Garuda mobile connection (No. 20075982) has been out of operation since the 7th of January this year. All my written complaints and subsequent reminders via their helpline (1502) have failed.

At first I was told that there was some signal problem -- a common feature of the Garuda service. Since then I have been visiting the Garuda office at CGO Complex in New Delhi but to no avail. Worse still, I am now receiving monthly bills of higher values -- even more than the actual rent -- and that, too, when the phone is not working! Everyone I met at the Garuda office pleaded ignorance and no one was willing to solve the problem. Hope someone from the organisation looks into my grievance now. My phone number is 24357032.

Mohd. Azhar Masoodi,

389 Hazrat Nizamuddin West (Basti),

New Delhi - 110 013.

No connectivity

Sir, -- I had applied for an ADSL broadband connection from MTNL in May last year. However, owing to its erratic functioning I went in for disconnection.

This year again when MTNL advertised its broadband service, I clarified from the MTNL authorities whether this time their service would be satisfactory. Finding no other competing service provider, I again applied for the facility.

Although the connection was made through D-link modem on February 24, connectivity could not be established. This time the situation is even worse, since earlier at least an erratic connectivity had been established. I am still waiting for the authorities concerned to come to my rescue.

Indra Nath Mukherji,

Professor of

South Asian Studies,

School of

International Studies,

Jawaharlal Nehru University,

New Delhi-110 067.

Long wait

Sir, -- The erstwhile Delhi Vidyut Board has not cared to refund my security deposit (Rs.1,075) even three years after permanent disconnection of line at my former New Delhi residence (16, `E' Block, Andrewsganj Extension, New Delhi - 110049). This despite full discharge of dues and completion of all formalities by me as prescribed by the authorities.

Numerous requests made personally and through agent or letters have elicited no response. The Delhi Vidyut Board's R. K. Puram office, under whose jurisdiction my erstwhile residence fell, informed me that my case (Case No. 587) has been forwarded to the Additional Manager, Finance, Customer Care Cell, BSES Bhavan, Nehru Place, New Delhi, for clearance of payment. But this office is neither sending the refund cheque nor offering any explanation.

I appeal to the authorities concerned to expedite my refund.

Dinkar Shukla,

MIG-16, Arvind Vihar,

Bhopal - 43.

White poison

Sir, -- I am alarmed and pained to see unscrupulous people selling spurious milk, thereby endangering the health of all citizens. And this has been going on for quite some time.

I think a majority of the milkmen these days are selling adulterated milk. Some go to the extremes, others adulterate as per their clientele. Earlier, it was only the mixing of water and milk. Now it is urea, caustic soda, refined seed oil, and several detergents! I only hope the packaged milk is safe -- at least the branded lot.

Milk as we all know is an everyday, essential consumable item like salt and sugar. Small children survive on it. It is the main versatile food item for the vegetarians. I wonder how the authorities have allowed the synthetic milk business to prosper over the years. Why have there been no serious crackdowns on these criminals going around in the garb of private dairy owners?

It is a very serious matter indeed. It is worse than a tsunami as it is a health hazard for every citizen and not just for those living near the sea. The authorities must take immediate note of the situation and launch stringent action against the offenders. The media will serve a great purpose in exposing these carriers of white poison.

Madhu R. D. Singh,

P4, Patterson Square,

Staff Road,

Ambala Cantt

(Haryana) - 133 001.

New wave

Sir, -- Going by your front page report, "Reorientation for officials at Centre" (April 5), our senior bureaucrats are to be elevated to global standards now with re-orientation programmes designed for them by, or with the guidance of, such world leaders as the Harvard Business School and the Maxwell School. If this momentous development is to bring cheer to our country, it must be seen by the people at large.

This can be done by dressing up civil servants in cowboy gear or GI fatigues, by having them wear six-guns or else carry M-16 rifles, and by taking away their official cars so that they may roam the streets on horseback or on skateboards. Naturally, they must chew gum when on official duty.

Mukul Dube,

D-504 Purvasha,

Mayur Vihar 1,

Delhi - 110 091.

* * *

(Letter for this column may be sent by e-mail to wsins@thehindu.co.in. They must carry the full postal address of the writer and should be marked "Readers' Mail".)

K(U)-6, Pitampura,

Delhi - 110 088.

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