Leaky Emergency Services

It is heartening to note various authorities announcing telephone numbers that could be called in case of emergencies. When it was reported in the press that the number given by Delhi Govt. for women support was not working with nil response on the first day itself, was received with skepticism, with people generally pointing finger at the news-hungry fourth estate. But, even that story could be true was realized personally by me today.

Few minutes back, my wife reported that the new gas cylinder which she was trying to fit in was leaking. We immediately switched off the connection and called up our Gas Agency for emergency support. The operator at the agency reported that the service personnel were out and they could come post lunch after two hours ! When I underlined that the leak is heavy and that we are unable to use the kitchen and are sitting at home after switching off the electrical points as a precautionary measure, she expressed her inability and advised us to wait for the service personnel!!

Then I tried the Emergency Service Cell numbers given in the last Gas supply bill but both the mobile numbers were reported switched off !

More out of desperation, I tried the Toll free number, which was announcing the 'welcome to IOC' in six different languages - good speed for an emergency !

As a last resort, I also tried the IOC customer service cell, which fortunately responded on the second ring and insisted that I have to go only the my gas agency , which supplies the cylinders to me. He went on to explain that the Emergency Service Cell numbers will be switched off now and will be open only after 6 PM. Which virtually, threw me back to the mercy of my Gas distributor!

The question that comes to my mind immediately are :

1. What if the cylinder keeps leaking even after the valve is closed?
2. What if the Service personnel were either absent for the day or were flooded with too many critical calls?

Its time the agencies realize the meaning of 'emergency' !

The incident was reported at 12:45 PM today and let us see how quickly the authorities react !

Not more but more meaningful holidays

Whether we are in school or college or office, holiday is always fun. Particularly holidays with no home work and holidays with pay are double whammy.  But, these days turn sour only when you are forced to sit for a holiday, when you have neither reason to celebrate nor enough things to do. Such forced holidays are always a moot point in organizations and Government offices, some of which follow still the archaic policies framed under different environment, most of which are no longer valid.

Of late, with the increase in the pay packets and corresponding expectations, there has been an indirectly proportional decrease in the public holidays observed by some private organizations. It ranges anywhere from 4 to 8 days a year and out of these 3 are for the national holidays and that leaves one with a handful of days for other functions. In India , with its myriad cultures, religion, belief , sentiments and emotion this is at the other end of expectations and there is every reason for an employee to be peeved at this mindless holiday list.  While a person may not have any activity related to a common holiday as he does not belong to that faith, he will be forced to consider going on ‘unscheduled medical leave’ for a day which is important to his religion, but is not considered as ‘common’ enough to mandate a holiday.

For instance, I always feel bored to sit at home on a Bakrid or Christmas, while I would very much like to have a day off for Bhogi or Kanu. Equally others will also have opinions as per their belief.

Government organizations on the other hand declare holidays in excess of requirements regardless of productivity- an instance in evidence is of a 13 day holiday in Jan for T.N Govt.

While we are becoming progressive in many other aspects, it is time all organizations consider basic common holidays such as Independence day, Republic day and Gandhi Jayanthi and offer a bouquet of holidays spanning across all religions and faith and give the option to the employees to choose a certain maximum number of holidays from them. By this, the employee will have a reasonable list to choose his day off so that people will be available when others are exercising their options. By this productivity, customer satisfaction and more importantly the employee satisfaction are bound to skyrocket.

I am not sure why many organizations are still dragging their feet to introduce this productive measure, in the absence of which employees simply abstain themselves impacting all expectations. Shall we take this up and almost ensure a 365 days service to the customers so that the revenue stream will also never gasp?

Will the self-proclaimed forward looking, employee friendly and customer-oriented organizations wake up?   

New opportunities beckon !

Another new year has dawned as the past year has faded into remembrances. As is with every new year, there is an air of expectation and excitement. This hope, this expectation only eggs the mankind to  march on. Let us keep this flame alive.

We are much better off compared to the yesteryears. During my parents’ days people had to put up with so many shortcomings but they silently kept going only because they had to fight for survival, no time to fight with the system and mainly no such variety of communication options. But the life got going and as the world improved, here we are – able to share and talk with the world sitting in your drawing room, dispensing distance barriers. Patience and perseverance have their values.

The current generation is still impatient and in a way its good as only an angry belly churns the worst  out and finds better avenues. Amongst the rape, loot, scandals, mafias, politics and power issues let us not lose sight of the good things that are waiting to happen. 

Youth is the key to our continued improvement and better life. It is this section that needs to be guided, supported and corrected. The immense potential they have needs to be nurtured to realize our vision of a better India. Let us always have this ideal in sight!

While there are much to crib there are much more to look forward to and go ahead. The future holds a bouquet of opportunities and it is for us to grab them. I feel a greater year beckons us. Let us go and grab it and greet it with both hands. At the end of this year, we will have our hands full with more flowers and so the life marches on.

Happy New year!