PLN's meter readings<\/p>\n
I do not think too many voices would be raised in dissent if I
\nsay that PLN is an inefficient outfit -- and I am not referring
\nto the blackouts which, to be fair, seem to be getting less
\nfrequent in our area, though I still have to call in our very
\nnoisy generator from time to time -- like when the lights go out
\nwhen I am in the middle of shaving, as they did the other day.<\/p>\n
No, I am talking about another form of quite unbelievable
\ninefficiency. Believe it or not, nobody has been reading the
\nmeters in the Ciganjur-Jagakarsa area for 18 months. At first, we
\nunderstood that the meter reader was scared to come inside to
\nread the meter because he was scared of our dog, which is not
\nvery large and whose bark is a great deal more alarming than his
\nbite, which is nonexistent.<\/p>\n
However, we were wrong -- it's not just us but the whole area
\nthat is affected. So we have been reading the meter ourselves for
\nthe past year or so and putting the answer in a envelope where it
\ncould be easily collected without the collector's having to come
\ninside the gate. But it was never collected.<\/p>\n
My wife has frequently complained about this, but always to be
\ntold, \"We are sorry, but we have nobody to read the meters.\" So
\nas not to be faced with a vast bill for 18 months or more, we
\nhave been paying each month a fixed sum approximating to our
\naverage monthly consumption. But what of those who have not been
\ndoing so?<\/p>\n
The same farcical situation arose four or five years ago, with
\ndire result for our neighbors and, up to a point, ourselves. One
\nrather poor family whose average bill was Rp 7,000 per month, was
\nsuddenly clobbered for about Rp 200,000 in back payments. You can
\nimagine what that did to their budget.<\/p>\n
I hope that PLN has a PR department that monitors the media,
\nwhich will bring this matter to the attention of PLN's \"High
\nCommand,\" so that this disgraceful situation may soon be
\nremedied.<\/p>\n
R.B. SAWREY-COOKSON<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/plns-meter-readings-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }