Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: Thousands of people protested in front of the Bijuli Bhawan in Guwahati on Wednesday for the cancellation of the installation of smart meters. The protest was organized by the All Assam Electricity Consumers’ Association (AAECA).
The demonstrators charged the atmosphere by shouting slogans against the government’s decision to install smart meters. The protestors demanded to reinstall the digital meters in place of the smart meters.
The convener of AAECA, Ajoy Acharjee, said, “We demand the abolition of prepaid smart meters. The smart meters are installed for the vested interest to privatize the power distribution system in the state. There is no need for smart meters for the common people. Today, all over Assam, people are protesting against the installation of the smart meters. However, the government is still laying emphasis on its installation. If it is really necessary to install the smart meters, then it must be first installed in the corporate sectors and not in the houses of domestic consumers.”
“After several allegations against the smart meters, the digital meters are installed parallel with the smart meters in some cases. The government said that there is no difference between the readings of a smart meter and a digital meter. If really there is no difference between the two, then why are they still committed to installing it?” asked Ajoy Acharjee.
After the protest, AAECA submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister of Assam through an official of the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL).
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