• Knock, knock - its the CEB

• Buddhism and alcohol
  
  Knock, knock - its the CEB

The CEB must enlighten its consumers, in its procedures before disconnection. A summons or warrant like document must be presented before disconnection. Arising out of a recent occurrence and being concerned about its ramifications which spells out a dictatorial and arrogant attitude, I raise these concerns on behalf of the C.E.B. consumers, of which I am one.

A set of employees of the CEB arrived at about 4.30/5.00 p.m. and said to the housewife, that they have come on a complaint, that the seal of the meter had been broken and therefore wanted to inspect same.

Then they disconnected the power supply without warning the household, and indicated that it is the last meter reader who had made this complaint.

Subsequently, they went into the house with permission to inspect, and during this inspection they took note of all the electrical items that were lying around immaterial of its use. (forgetting that many of us use the minimum of appliances, though we acquired them years ago when the tariff was affordable).

After having disconnected the power, they said that they were removing the component which was supposed to have been tampered with.

Consumers beware this is how the CEB bureaucrats work. They come at sunset and ensure that you have no one to turn to, as all officers have gone for the day. We remain in darkness immaterial of patients, school going children and infants and swarming mosquitoes.

The next day the chief occupant ran helter skelter, and was told that he had to pay a colossal sum for reconnection and the breakdown was simple.

Pay up from December 2003 for usage, calculated by the CEB yardstick, taking into account all the gadgetry their staff saw in the house, not necessarily whether they were working or even used.

Now pertinent questions arise, and the CEB has to answer its consumers. How did the meter readers from 2003 to May 2006 not notice, this tampering?, the CEB must initiate disciplinary action against all these meter readers either for neglect or corruption. This is the only way the CEB can vindicate its arbitrary computing system.

The CEB must promptly notify all its consumers and draw the attention of the meter readers to seal every meter, or appoint other staff to enforce this procedure. I am certain that there are many meters without the seal, for various reasons. In my experience it is the indifference of the CEB staff. They do not encourage consumers to report.

They place impediments on the consumer.

by Walter Fernando, Ratmalana.

Buddhism and alcohol

If not already known to the Buddhist Clergy, I wish to make known some glaring shortcomings of the liquor trade in many junctions of Colombo City as well as in the outstations.

With much fanfare, a large Buddhist shrine was built by the side of the Kirulapone Police Station, but right opposite is a liquor shop that not only sells liquor but allows consumption on its premises. This occurs all day and even during times pirith is chanted from the shrine as well as from the one under the sacred bo-tree just a short distance further, near the 144 bus stop.

Approaching Maharagama, at the fork of the Old Kottawa Road is another temple with another liquor shop approximately 150 yards away that follows a similar method. This place is surrounded with filthy 'taste' carts and many snack shops selling various 'meat' delicacies. Poya days are no exception with illegal sales conducted under the eyes of the Law!

In our predominantly Buddhist nation, attempts are being made to ban 'meat' consumption whilst ignoring the liquor habit. On pre-poya days there is frantic rush to stock up on liquor whilst the tipplers, strewn all over the pavements, are boozing as if there was no tomorrow! Buddhist shrines erected under bo-trees at almost every junction have loudspeakers blaring deafeningly at sunrise and sunset with the intention of seth means nothing in this context.

It does not take much to rouse religious disharmony today - monks taking to the streets for every demonstration, bringing in regulations to muzzle other religious faiths but everyone fails to see the horrible drunken specter on our streets.

Even at Maharagama town there is a large shrine in the vicinity of the main bus stop and here too, though the faithful try to pay homage whilst pirith is being chanted, everything is drowned out in a cacophony of sounds from the 'massive' speakers in many shops blaring away rock, rap and baila music. Is there no respect for religious activities?

It is a fashion in some homes that proudly display shrines, filled with flowers, fragrant incences under which boozing and meat-eating parties are conducted. And usually the 'poya' holiday is taken for holidaying, beach parties whilst temples are filled only with the elderly. Consider how mothers dressed in skin-tight slacks and chest-hugging T-shirts bring their children to 'daham' lessons to the many temples around! Who is learning what?

It is time for the Buddhist authorities to take steps to arrest this disgusting trend in a land that the Arahath Mahinda trod on bringing the concept of Buddhism to Sri Lanka.

Who, I ask, is going to take the first step?

by Brian Jansz, Pannipitiya.