24/7 customer care centre by Mescom soon

Mangalore Today News Network

Dec 24, 2016: Speaking at a media meet Dec 23 Friday, MESCOM,  Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd,  MD Chikkananjappa said that Mescom will set up 24X7 customer care centre/customer grievances redressal centre to cater to the needs of consumers in four districts shortly.  He added the dedicated centre will receive the complaints from the public and direct it to the concerned sub station for rectification.

MD Chikkananjappa said urban local bodies and rural local bodies in four districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga owe Rs 270 crore to the company. The government has been paying the dues to the power supplying companies in a phased manner. The power supply to these bodies will not be disconnected, he said.

Under Deen Dayal Updhayaya Gramjyothi Yojana, a proposal for Rs 365 crore has been prepared. It aims to provide rural household electrification and system strengthening in four districts. A total of 83,346 households in rural areas will be covered under the scheme. In addition, it will also cover Samsad Adarsh Grama Yojana. The feeder segregation under the scheme will be taken up in 11 taluks of Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts. A proposal for Rs 157 crore has been prepared under integrated power development scheme. The scheme includes system improvement works, providing solar system on roof top of government buildings, IT-enabled applications in 18 towns and replacing the old meters with the new one. The Decentralised Distributed Generation will be implemented at a cost of Rs 60 lakh in three villages of Shettyhalli, Chitrashetty Halli and Urulugallu in Shivamogga districts, he said.

For the year, he said Mescom will concentrate on creating infrastructure to support nearly 15,000 unauthorised irrigation pump sets under their limits. "An amount of Rs 300 crore would be spent on the purpose. This way, the connections are authorised and losses are reduced," he said.

In addition, 33/11 kV sub stations will come up at Malpe, Venur, Kalladka, Byakodu, Kavu, Kollur and Guthigar. The existing 33/11 kV sub stations would be upgraded at Kunjibettu, Hebri, Attavara, Savanur, Sullia, Kadri and Kudroli. In addition, keeping in mind the growth of the city in the next 10 to 20 years, the Mescom has proposed 220 kV station at Kottara, upgradation of 33/11 kV station at Nehru Maidan, Thokkottu, Vamanjoor and Jeppinamogaru.

Chikkananjappa said at 11.50%, Mescom had "one of the lowest distribution losses in the country". The distribution loss was 13.71% in 2007-08 and it has come down to 11.50% in 2015-16. Mescom is the sixth electricity supply company in India to have lowest distribution loss.The technical improvements has contributed to the reduced losses, he said.

Power supply situation is likely to be comfortable during summer. The state government has taken precautionary measures to purchase additional power to ensure that there was no power cuts during March-April, he said.

Online payment : Mescom MD Chikkananjappa said payment facilities to urban consumers will be extended through online payment - www.mesco.in; mobileapplication-karnatakamobileone and integration with Paytm. "Mescom has not finalised on integrating with Paytm as we have received a proposal on the same."