PLN's meter readings

PLN's meter readings

I do not think too many voices would be raised in dissent if I
say that PLN is an inefficient outfit -- and I am not referring
to the blackouts which, to be fair, seem to be getting less
frequent in our area, though I still have to call in our very
noisy generator from time to time -- like when the lights go out
when I am in the middle of shaving, as they did the other day.

No, I am talking about another form of quite unbelievable
inefficiency. Believe it or not, nobody has been reading the
meters in the Ciganjur-Jagakarsa area for 18 months. At first, we
understood that the meter reader was scared to come inside to
read the meter because he was scared of our dog, which is not
very large and whose bark is a great deal more alarming than his
bite, which is nonexistent.

However, we were wrong -- it's not just us but the whole area
that is affected. So we have been reading the meter ourselves for
the past year or so and putting the answer in a envelope where it
could be easily collected without the collector's having to come
inside the gate. But it was never collected.

My wife has frequently complained about this, but always to be
told, "We are sorry, but we have nobody to read the meters." So
as not to be faced with a vast bill for 18 months or more, we
have been paying each month a fixed sum approximating to our
average monthly consumption. But what of those who have not been
doing so?

The same farcical situation arose four or five years ago, with
dire result for our neighbors and, up to a point, ourselves. One
rather poor family whose average bill was Rp 7,000 per month, was
suddenly clobbered for about Rp 200,000 in back payments. You can
imagine what that did to their budget.

I hope that PLN has a PR department that monitors the media,
which will bring this matter to the attention of PLN's "High
Command," so that this disgraceful situation may soon be
remedied.

R.B. SAWREY-COOKSON

Jakarta