BSNL accused of favoritism by Namakkal association

Namakkal District Information Technology Association has accused that a staff member in BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd) is showing favoritism towards one channel partner through unofficial ways. The association is planning to take the issue with the officials of the telecom company.

Speaking to The DQ Week, N Loganathan, president, NDITA, said, "A staff member in the BSNL has an unofficial ‘understanding' with one of the channel partners here. The channel partner is unofficially authorized for all the services related to BSNL." "The actual scenario is that the BSNL staff carries the business cards of the aforesaid channel partner and is forwarding all the business enquiries to him, which are supposedly done by BSNL itself. Right from availability of cards, till servicing the repaired one, the dealer is referred. The dealer also goes for services and pastes his firm's label in the modem which slowly allows an entry for a person poach our customers," Loganathan further added. "Even our loyal customers have started asking why we cannot do the service which some other person can do," he said. Loganathan further urged that BSNL should look seriously into such unhealthy ways which threatens the bread and butter of the other channel partners. "We are not against BSNL collaborating with a private firm. BSNL can float a tender and make the business transparent and provide equal opportunity to everyone in the market."

Loganathan said that this is not something which is happening for the first time in the market but has been prevailing for a long time. "The issue has to be looked very seriously and stringent action has to be taken against the erring officials. We have planned to conduct a ‘dharna' in front of the BSNL office and also we are planning to publish advertisements in the vernacular newspapers against the malpractices in BSNL," Loganathan concluded. However, Loganathan refused to reveal the name of the channel partner.

Speaking to The DQ Week, C Ganesan, deputy general manager, BSNL, Salem division said, "For the past one year, we have stopped supplying modems for customers and also no agency has been appointed officially by us in Namakkal for modems." "When we do not supply the modem, how can we do services for those machines?" he questioned. Questioned about the pasting of labels over the modem, Ganesan clarified that those labels will have the phone number of the person who has been appointed to service the modems purchased from BSNL before one year. "We do not promote any individual firms. Any dealer or re-seller is free to do service for customers in Namakkal," he asserted. Ganesan also assured that this issue will be taken into serious consideration. "I am open for talks with the association and they can approach me with a written complaint or can meet me directly," he concluded.