LAKHIMPUR: On Friday, the Lakhimpur District Unit of the All Assam Electricity Consumers Association (AAECA) staged a protest demanding an end to frequent load shedding, increase in electricity tariffs, estimated bills and extortion upon electricity consumers in the name of prepaid smart meters. The protest was demonstrated in front of the North Lakhimpur Electricity Sub-Division Office located in North Lakhimpur town.
By initiating the demonstration the Lakhimpur district unit of AAECA also submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma through the North Lakhimpur Electricity Sub-Divisional Officer to fulfill a slew of demands. In the memorandum, the conveners of the organization Jutika Doley and Rebot Sarma said, “We, on behalf of the Lakhimpur District unit of All Assam Electricity Consumers Association, have noticed with serious concern that the load shedding is being conducted hour after hour every day contrary to the promise of APDCL to provide 24 hours uninterrupted, reliable, safe, affordable and quality electricity service. This has caused major loss to small and medium industries, farms and businesses including common people and students. This is an unexpected situation in the State but the APDCL authorities have not taken any appropriate steps to solve the problem. The financial losses incurred in the state economy due to power outages have also had a negative impact on the common people through indirect way.”
“We have also noticed that APDCL is still charging unprecedented rates of additional charges from millions of customers through estimated bills without meters. This is completely illegal and immoral. The responsibility for the inefficiency and corruption of APDCL is being imposed upon the shoulders of common consumers. In addition, APDCL has been forcibly adding prepaid meters and collecting advanced charges despite the opposition of the people but has failed to provide uninterrupted and minimum services. Power supply is cut if there is a light wind and rain. In addition, low voltage problems are still a common issue especially in rural areas. The old transformers and old wires are being left unchanged and smart meters are being added in the name of making the “Metering System smarter. The smart meter system has increased the electricity bills of the people by 3/4 times. In fact, all this is being done with the aim of privatizing the power sector,” the memorandum added.
Through the same memorandum, the Lakhimpur district unit of AAECA demanded the Government of Assam to stop frequent loadshedding, to provide 24 hour and affordable power supply as promised, not to charge bills from power consumers in the name of estimated bills and to cancel prepaid smart meters and bring back the previous digital meters.
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