Tangedco suspends two engineers
Besides, there is a lapse on the part of the engineers over the delay in filing DT failure report and trying to repair in locally.
Chennai: For the first time perhaps, the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation placed under suspension two of its engineers in Krishnagiri for abnormal delay in replacing a failed distribution transformer at Chinthaidoddy village.
The assistant executive engineer, operation and maintenance, Bagalur and a junior engineer grade-I, O&M, Athimugam were suspended on June 13 following public complaints of water scarcity owing to non-operation of motor pump set in low voltage condition for over a week.
According to local Tangedco sources, the field engineers failed to take timely action to replace a failed 250 kva distribution transformer at Chinthaldoddy village in B. S. Thimma Chandram Panchayat under Berigai O&M section. The village was facing a voltage fluctuation due to faulty distribution transformer and only one phase was available. “Motor pump sets for overhead drinking water tank and agricultural purposes require all the three phase for operation. Due to availability of only one phase, the villagers were facing drinking water problem,” sources said.
Tangedco sources said that the field engineers, instead of filing a transformer failure report to the higher officials as per protocol, tried to repair the transformer locally. “If a distribution transformer failed, they should immediately file a failure report and get a replacement for it. The engineer filed the failure report on June 11, but the panchayat president reported that they were facing voltage problem for over a week. When the issue was taken up with the higher officials, they were suspended on June 13 for lethargy in attending to the complaint,” sources noted.
Besides, there is a lapse on the part of the engineers over the delay in filing DT failure report and trying to repair in locally. “All over the state, there is a shortage of manpower but you have to file timely report,” the official said. However, Tangedco’s action has thrilled the customers but angered a section of the
utility engineer’s community.