KSEB to shift office at Koyilandy North

KOZHIKODE: Kerala State Electricity Board office in North Koyilandy which is struggling due to lack of facilities and miserable conditions during the rainy season will be shifting soon to 2000 sqft office of the 110 kV Kanoor KSEB substation in Ulliyeri panchayath.

The move is expected to put 25,000 consumers within the circle in trouble as they have to shift to online mode for transactions and registration of complaints, which is impossible for many of them.

Deccan Chronicle had reported on Tuesday about the plight of the staff when it rains.

Septic tank sewage spills into the water on the office premises during the rainy season, and the office does not have adequate facility to stack materials.

According to an official, employees were infected with dengue fever last year. However, the staff is also worried about the hardships to be faced by consumers in case the shifting took place without adequate planning.

"Half of the consumers within the circle still pay in person while online transactions have also increased. We encourage payment through Paytm and online banking. As workers will be on the field, it will not affect the supply and maintenance. Complaints registered online or reported on the phone even from Thiruvananthapuram are tracked and resolved," said P.K. Babu, overseer.

"Technical glitch existed as the area from Kanayankode bridge to Kanoor town was included in Naduvannur section, preventing the shift of office. However, chief engineer, human resource management has passed an order to shift the area, including six transformers and 15000 consumers, to Koyilandy section. It will lead to faster resolution of their problems since Naduvannur employees find it hard to reach out due to geographical barriers. We anticipate shifting by September end."

The office, near the homoeopathy hospital, run in a private building in Manamalil, includes section and subdivision offices. It costs about Rs 20,000 as rent per month.

Thirty-five employees in the office do not consume food and water from the office."Even after filing a petition to MLA, there was no solution. We find it hard to find an office with ample facilities within the municipality," said Nijam Nasarudheen, assistant engineer.