The long way around

While posting about the RTI Act and how it's a useful law that's come into existence, I'd signed off on how I've asked TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) to provide me the statistics on the effectiveness of the 'National Do Not Call Registry'.

Meanwhile, I've been waging my own personal battle against the telemarketers. For the past month or so, every time I get a promotional phone or SMS I diligently make a note of it and at a suitable time consolidate this and dash off a complaint email to Airtel. Being the cynic I am, I did not expect anything to come of it. Accordingly, I'd get vague responses like 'NDNC investigations completed. Show Cause notice sent to unregistered telemarketer for 1st violation, blah, blah, blah'. And I continued to get these rather annoying text messages. My particular gripe was against 'Daily Bread', which seemed to want me to usher in the Yuletide spirit by spending money at their bakery. And I unrelentingly continued to post complaints.

Today was a surprise though. I got an SMS. 'NDNC investigations completed. Basis your complaints offending telemarketer has been identified for disconnection for repeated violations'. Hurrah.
Not that this will change anything, I feel. It's probably quite easy to apply for a new connection. The law, in all its glorious asininity, does not stop the telecom company from disconnecting the earlier connection and providing a new one. So, I fully expect the I'll get another annoying text from Daily Bread come Sunday morning. But it is a small victory.

Power to the people.