The failure of public service institutions to cater to the needs of the general public has more often than not created pandemonium particularly in the form of students protest. The planned agitation, several of them, spearheaded by the North East Students Organization (NESO) and involving local units, Angami Students’ Union being the latest, comes at a time when public grievance against the telecom giant continue to pour in. All this goes to show that there is something amiss in the way the BSNL has been functioning in places like Nagaland. What is all the more annoying is that authorities of BSNL do not seem to have any realistic appraisal of its own strength or weaknesses and this has often led to going back on its assurances. This naturally leads to the public losing confidence in the very institution itself. Today as it stands, BSNL has become ridiculed in the eyes of the people. And if it is at all concerned about remaining a genuine service provider, it would need to start performing.
One of the oft repeated complaints against BSNL has been that it has never been able to honor commitments despite written assurance for time bound implementation of various points raised by the students’ body. Looking specifically at the charter of demands over the months and years, it goes to show the utter discrimination on the part of BSNL with regard to the services available but which is denied to customers in the northeast and not to forget the poor service that has dented the image of the largest telecom player in the country. While BSNL happens to be the biggest player in the telecom sector one disadvantage for the public in places like Nagaland is that the private sector is offering services only in small pockets of this huge market. So unless there is competition customers may continue to be tormented by BSNL’s poor quality of service.
It would be worth mentioning that those who are agitating have every right to demand from the BSNL accountability, transparency, quality and choice of services provided. One wonders whether the BSNL has formulated its Citizens Charter so that the rights of citizens are properly translated into action. Services exist for the people and not people for the services. It is high time that the public question the BSNL and the protest move should be welcomed and people should demand that they will not put up with inadequate and unsatisfactory services. There is also the need to create awareness on the redressal machinery under the consumer protection statute so that customers can seek compensation from public service providers for their act of commission or omission. Functionaries of BSNL should be made to realize that they cannot any longer continue to take people for granted.
It would also be in public interest if BSNL make copies freely available of the Citizens Charter published by the Department of Telecom so that it will remain accountable in delivering its services promptly and maintain quality and that redressal machinery will be made available where its services is not of the standard it is committed to.
