Black Revolution

Major power cuts, and sweat shower is quite common for the people in TamilNadu, I’ll not be exaggerating if I say that people are having sweat dreams rather sweet dreams, even in the dreams they don’t see light due to power failure, I swear I’m not joking.

Last weekend there was 16 hours power cut in the place where I live I went crazy usually the power cut will be for two hours from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM, daily, at around 10:30 AM I called the TNEB enquiring about the issue, they said they have some problem to fix, I got pissed off, I questioned why didn’t they do it, in those two hours, which was a schedule (actually this is not scheduled either) power shutdown, the response was terrific thou, “ we haven’t scheduled this job at that time thou” was the response from the other end, he is really getting into my nervous, I politely asked him again, when is the power restoration expected, again a terrific response “will restore once the job is completed”, and banged the phone without giving any stipulated period.

I decided to chew the fat with some books and all, however unable to chew much, I going reckless called them again and again at one hour intervals, and was getting a monotonous reply “will restore once the maintenance task is completed”. Around 4:00 PM or so, I become so reckless and bullets in my guts started firing, I called them again and fired them with unparliamentarily (may be parliamentary) words, to my fate, this time the phone was answered by a woman, I was embarrassed she sounded to be the age of my mother, and she probably never would have expected such words when she was about to answer the phone, some how she managed to responded to my call, with shivering voice (may be because of shock) she said, “Sir, we are not responsible for the maintenance job, please wait I’ll give you the number where you can reach them directly” and she gave me the number and she apologized for the inconvenience caused and simply banged the phone, without knowing how to respond.

I called the other number, feeling sorry for her, for using such an abuse words, and the conversation went like this:

Me: EB department.

EB: Yes

Me: Sir, there was a power cut in my house for the past 10 hours or so, I’m residing at Perrianna Ngr.

EB: Yes sir, the maintenance job is going on, once it is completed the power will resume.

Me: Cut that crap, for the past 10 hrs, what the hell are you doing? Are you not paid? Is there any one in your department who is willing to work at least for the 50% of the amount they are getting paid for? Don’t you people feel guilty for not doing any work and getting paid?
EB: Sir, we strain a lot, don’t you understand that we are working and not playing, it will take time. You have to wait. (He was dominating rather dictating that I’ve to wait)

Me: Hey, stop yelling at me, I’m the customer, and you have to give me the estimated time period for this task, I can’t shower myself with sweat, I’m stinking myself, even if they construct a bridge they will give an estimation, why cant you give me the time, when the power will be restored? Are you such novice workers?

EB: I don’t have to give you all that info?
(He was about to hang up, I interrupted)

Me: I’m recording the call, and I’ll file a case against you for your irresponsibility, give me your section engineer number I’ll speak to him
(He gave me the section Engineer number, and he was shivering like Hell, I could feel, I called the section Engineer)

Me: Hello, Am I speaking with Balaji?

Balaji: yes

Me: Are you the section Engineer, in TNEB? (Just to confirm)

Balaji: Yes, who is this?

Me: This is Krishna, from Perianna Ngr, and there is a power shut down for the past 10 hours or so? May I know whatz going on?

Balaji: Yes sir, there is a maintenance job going on, will resume once it is completed.

Me: Balaji, this is insane, there was an unscheduled, scheduled power shutdown daily from 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM, even after a State Electricity minister has requested to stop such shut downs, do you have any sensible answers?

Balaji: Sir, first you need to understand, that if I have enough electricity, I don’t need to shut it down, there is a huge scarcity for the power across the sate, you sound to be sensible, and I believe you know, that state government is approving licenses huge factories, who consume lion share of the state power, because of that there is huge scarcity for the same, it is partially true, that the power shut down has been taken out only in the major cities of the state, and people in the outskirts of the city are forced to suffer minimum of 2 hours power shutdown, and in the cities there is still power shutdown in the name of unforeseen issues. I can feel the heat in your shoes, give me 30 mins time, I’ll make arrangement to resume power for you.

Me: Thank you, Sir.

And in 10 mins, the power was resumed, and the words of the Balaji, are lingering in my ears, the state government knowing that we cant afford electricity to those big industries, they still welcome them, for huge bribe scandal, and they are projected as the employment opportunities to the public, even yesterday state government has provided licenses to two major industries at the estimated price of 1500 Cr, lightning 3000 job seekers but pushing 300,000 people to dark.

Blaming the previous government for not providing enough sources of energy management is bull shit, state government is just horsing around, obviously they will, when people are sheep’s, its high time for them to stuff their bank accounts