Ctg PDB hit by crisis of metre-readers

Meter reading, bill preparing and distributing activities of power development board (PDB), Chittagong zone have long been going on with the manpower as per the setup formulated around 30 years ago.

The number of clients (meters) then was around 2 lakh, which has increased to around 8.25 lakh but the post of meter-readers did not, said the PDB officials.

Though there were 123 posts, the last appointment was held around 20 years ago, and only 64 meter-readers are employed currently, they added.

Many clients lodged complaints with PDB alleging that the meter-readers were not going to their houses and were making up “arbitrary” bills.

Contacted, Azharul Islam, chief engineer of PDB, south zone, said there should be one meter-reader against 1,500 clients, and based on that, they needed at least 550 meter-readers.

The PDB, Chittagong zone is going to appoint around 450 meter-readers on contract basis to make up the difference between the number of meters and its readers. The appointment process was underway and will be completed by next month, said the officials.

PDB sources said there are 21 distribution divisions under Chittagong zone and meter-readers cover Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban.

So a meter-reader has to check and prepare bill of over 12,890 meters on average, which is not “possible”, they added.

Thus, the PDB has decided to appoint meter-readers on contractual basis to mitigate the crisis, PDB sources said.

Only 64 meter-readers are employed, even though there are 123 posts, said Mohammad Maniruzzaman, senior assistant director of PDB, Chittagong zone.

PDB sources said since it was not possible for a meter-reader to cover such a large number of meters in a month, some were making up “random” bills.

Admitting of receiving complaints over arbitrary billing, Maniruzzaman said to address the problem, around 450 meter-readers are going to be appointed, who will be paid Tk 3.5 for checking a meter and Tk 2.25 for preparing and distributing bill to a client in the city and district headquarters. In the upazilas, it will be Tk 4 and Tk 3 respectively, he said.

A meter-reader will not be allowed to check more than 1,750 meters at the district level and 1,500 meters in the upazilas, he said.

Once the meter-readers start working, clients' complaints will also reduce, hoped Maniruzzaman.

Azharul, however, said, “It is not a permanent solution. We have written to authorities for hiring adequate number of permanent meter-readers instead of the contractual ones.”

Meanwhile, clients welcomed the initiative. Mohammad Forkan, a Bakalia resident, who has verbally complained many times over “arbitrary” billing, said, “Hopefully this initiative will mitigate our crisis.”

Tapan Dutta, a Shulak Bahar resident, urged the officials to strictly monitor the activities.