<p>Restoration of online data management of Bescom has been pushed by at least another month. Over the last few months, consumers have been in for trouble with their electricity bills, owing to server problems. <br /><br /></p>.<p>At a review meeting on November 22, Bescom had asked Infosys (which is managing the software) to restore the system to normalcy by the end of November. However, it is likely to be done only by the end of December, until which Bescom will have to manage the show by plugging in gaps with alternative measures.<br /><br />“It was supposed to be restored by today. It has not happened. We are hoping that it will be set right by December end,” Amita Prasad, Principal Secretary, Energy Department, told mediapersons on the sidelines of an interaction with Bescom high tension (HT) consumers on Saturday. Bescom Managing Director Pankaj Kumar Pandey told Deccan Herald that they had already apprised the problem to the highest level in Infosys and even a show cause notice was already issued to the company. <br /><br />In the R-APDRP project review meeting held last week, several issues pertaining to problems in the software were raised, according to Bescom officials. As per what was recorded in the proceedings of the meeting, Infosys was also asked to submit the audit report by November. <br /><br />Infosys, in the meeting, stated that they have been working on multiple solutions to avoid database crashes in the future, part of which included moving from Oracle to open source.<br /><br />Other issues like software simplification were also brought up. With respect to the 14,000 pending applications in Hescom, the company was asked to implement a standalone environment to operate new connection cases, so that it would not be delayed until the system was restored. <br /><br />‘No surprise power cuts’<br /><br />HT consumers complained that surprise and unscheduled power interruption was causing several of them huge losses. In one such case, D R Subramanya, MD of a processing industry in Tumkur, stated how unscheduled power cuts were causing a problem to his industry. In his representation to the Principal Secretary, Energy Department, he wrote that frequent, unscheduled, long duration interruptions to their processing industry was causing them huge losses. They suffered three to four interruptions every day, he said, adding that their electricity bill came up to Rs 45 lakh a month. He felt that smaller towns were being treated differently and there was not sufficient information given to them. The consumers wanted Bescom to ensure a balanced distribution of power between Bangalore and other towns.<br /><br />Amita Prasad assured them that they would be informed in advance about the power cuts, in addition to strengthening the HT cells in all Escoms. Plans are afoot to introduce more computerisation so that information reaches all consumers. This apart, they are planning to send emails about bill payments to HT consumers. <br /><br />“We had a meeting on Friday about computerisation and information to the last point. It will be implemented soon,” Amita Prasad added. </p>
<p>Restoration of online data management of Bescom has been pushed by at least another month. Over the last few months, consumers have been in for trouble with their electricity bills, owing to server problems. <br /><br /></p>.<p>At a review meeting on November 22, Bescom had asked Infosys (which is managing the software) to restore the system to normalcy by the end of November. However, it is likely to be done only by the end of December, until which Bescom will have to manage the show by plugging in gaps with alternative measures.<br /><br />“It was supposed to be restored by today. It has not happened. We are hoping that it will be set right by December end,” Amita Prasad, Principal Secretary, Energy Department, told mediapersons on the sidelines of an interaction with Bescom high tension (HT) consumers on Saturday. Bescom Managing Director Pankaj Kumar Pandey told Deccan Herald that they had already apprised the problem to the highest level in Infosys and even a show cause notice was already issued to the company. <br /><br />In the R-APDRP project review meeting held last week, several issues pertaining to problems in the software were raised, according to Bescom officials. As per what was recorded in the proceedings of the meeting, Infosys was also asked to submit the audit report by November. <br /><br />Infosys, in the meeting, stated that they have been working on multiple solutions to avoid database crashes in the future, part of which included moving from Oracle to open source.<br /><br />Other issues like software simplification were also brought up. With respect to the 14,000 pending applications in Hescom, the company was asked to implement a standalone environment to operate new connection cases, so that it would not be delayed until the system was restored. <br /><br />‘No surprise power cuts’<br /><br />HT consumers complained that surprise and unscheduled power interruption was causing several of them huge losses. In one such case, D R Subramanya, MD of a processing industry in Tumkur, stated how unscheduled power cuts were causing a problem to his industry. In his representation to the Principal Secretary, Energy Department, he wrote that frequent, unscheduled, long duration interruptions to their processing industry was causing them huge losses. They suffered three to four interruptions every day, he said, adding that their electricity bill came up to Rs 45 lakh a month. He felt that smaller towns were being treated differently and there was not sufficient information given to them. The consumers wanted Bescom to ensure a balanced distribution of power between Bangalore and other towns.<br /><br />Amita Prasad assured them that they would be informed in advance about the power cuts, in addition to strengthening the HT cells in all Escoms. Plans are afoot to introduce more computerisation so that information reaches all consumers. This apart, they are planning to send emails about bill payments to HT consumers. <br /><br />“We had a meeting on Friday about computerisation and information to the last point. It will be implemented soon,” Amita Prasad added. </p>
