SHILLONG: The government of Meghalaya is all set to roll out the much-debated smart meter project under pressure from the Centre. This was announced by State Power Minister A.T. Mondal while speaking to reporters, stating that the Ministry of Power has made it imperative on all states to implement smart meters in order to bring efficiency and reduce power losses.
Although Mondal did not yet provide a timeline on the project's rollout, he allayed consumer fears as he said the new system would allow the state's power department to trace leakages and improve overall service delivery. He appealed for public cooperation as about 800 meter readers currently employed would be deployed at other tasks once the system was in place.
We understand concerns, particularly after the inflated billing issues of Assam. But if the smart meters are not 'smart' enough, why should we harass the consumers? We shall ensure that any complaint that arises is dealt with quickly," he promised as he attempted to douse the growing skepticism.
In the face of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited's strained financial situation, Mondal explained that no staff downsizing was on the cards. Instead, the corporation would be working in terms of improvement in AT&C losses and operational efficiency. Much-needed reforms, though in place, he also said could not be implemented overnight. Mondal sounded optimistic despite loans and dues being some of the factors contributing to improvement in the financial position of MeECL.
Mr Mondal said that the company was responding to complaints that electricity bills were being generated prior to meters being installed. It has also remarked that a government notification from last year prohibits billing in such cases.
In a related development, Power Minister Inderpal Singh/Mondal said that the weight restriction of the bridge over the Umiam dam due to the retrofitting work, would be overcome by taking an alternative route so that heavier vehicles could pass. The PWD was considering constructing a bailey bridge to skirt the ban on weight restrictions and ensure smooth flow of traffic to and from Shillong.
He acknowledged the public frustration over the current restrictions but emphasized that these are necessary for the safety of the bridge as well as to preserve the Umiam dam, which generates around 170 MW of power. Grouting work proceeds and according to Mondal, there has been no hit on the flow of traffic on the dam site.
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