CORRESPONDENTS
SIVASAGAR: Amid growing public discontent across Assam regarding the installation of smart meters, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) led massive protests throughout the state on Saturday. The student organization has expressed strong resentment against the widespread imposition of prepaid smart meters, where consumers are forced to recharge their meters, leading to what they describe as unjust electricity charges.
Despite unfavourable weather, the Sivasagar District Students’ Union organized a protest rally from their headquarters on Boarding Road. The rally, under the leadership of AASU’s district advisor and central executive Samiran Phukan, Dhrubajyoti Kalita, District President Manab Hazarika, General Secretary Dipankar Saikia, Aditya Sharma, Parthapratim Baruah, Manashjyoti Saikia, Pritam Borgohain, and Ankur Bora, passed through various parts of the town, raising various slogans.
Speaking at the protest, AASU leader Samiran Phukan sharply criticized the power department, accusing it of using smart meters as a tool to unjustly extract revenue from the public. He demanded the immediate abolition of the system and urged the government to ensure the department operates with a public-first mindset, resolving all current issues.
Phukan warned that if no steps are taken soon to address these grievances, AASU will be compelled to escalate their movement, potentially leading to more stringent actions such as locking down power department offices, all in the interest of the general public.
TINSUKIA: The Tinsukia District Students’ Union (TDSU) in response to the state-wide call by AASU against smart meters took out a massive protest rally at Tinsukia on Saturday. The protest is a part of continuous democratic movement against the smart meters, unexpected electricity tariff and irregular power supply, said Samarjyoti Gohain, central executive member AASU.
In a joint press release issued by Puheswar Sonowal and Pratim Neog president i/c and general secretary respectively, they stated that the government should install meters replacing the defective smart meters which should be acceptable to all and to provide regular electricity to all parts of the state. They expressed concern among the people paying higher electricity bills than before after the installation of smart meters. The protest march started at the office of Tinsukia Regional Students’ Union and culminated at Thana Chariali Tinsukia.
LAKHIMPUR: The Lakhimpur district unit of All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) continued protest against installation of the digital smart meters and exorbitant electricity tariff levied by the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) through the newly implemented smart meter system.
Regarding the issue, the organization demonstrated ‘Bikhsyobh’ in front of the Lakhimpur District Commissioner’s office on Saturday. At first, the members of the organization, led by president in-charge Khirod Duwarah, general secretary in-charge Punamjyoti Burhagohain, took out a protest rally from its district office Swahid Bhawan premises covering the North Lakhimpur town. Then they demonstrated in front of the District Commissioner’s Office. During the course, the protesters rocked the environment by shouting multiple slogans against digital smart meters and to flay the State Government’s initiative undertaken to implement the much-controversial devices affecting the financial foundation of the common people.
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