244 words short essay on The Inflated Telephone Bill. Last month, I was not only surprised, but also shocked to receive a telephone bill for more than Rs. 2000. Every month the bill is for Rs. 400 to Rs. 500 only.
This month I had gone out on tour- for about ten days. That should have shown a lesser amount in the bill, at least by a hundred rupees or so. But on the contrary, the bill showed four to five fold inflation in the amount.
I contacted the local S.D.O. Phones immediately, who deputed his assistant to look into the matter. A trap was laid and ultimately the culprit was caught and punished. He was none other than a linesman of the same telephone exchange.
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The technique adopted by him was that he came to know from some quarters about my going out on tour-duties for ten days. He connected the long distance calls of some businessmen with my line and got the calls made by them transferred to my account. Thus, he made a good sum of extra earnings by unscrupulous means. He not only cheated me but was also found guilty of misconduct by a government servant.
I came to know from the S.D.O. that my complaint was received after two other similar telephonic messages. These people did not take the trouble of contacting the exchange in person. Their calls were received and registered and were also being inquired into in the same lazy, lethargic way, mostly found in government departments and offices. But my personal visit and contact with the authorities there had a salutary effect. The culprit was punished. It was found that such a practice continued from phone to phone by turns.
The best way to keep an eye on such tricks is either to get the S.T.D. disconnected, in case one does not need it, or to ask for detailed monthly bills, at an extra payment, so that the evil may be nipped in the bud. One would be able to judge for oneself every month, if some malpractice is being adopted by the corrupt officials.