Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad protests against smart meters

BISWANATH CHARIALI: Along with various districts of the State, a protest rally was held in front of the District Commissioner’s Office of Biswanath demanding the closure of the smart meters under the initiative of Biswanath District Committee of AJYCP with the support of the people of Biswanath Chariali. In parallel with this protest, a memorandum was sent to the Chief Minister of Assam through the District Commissioner. The protestors opined that the smart metre exploited economically the people of Assam.

The programme was attended by the officer-bearers and members of the student body. Apart from the members of the council, many concerned people from different areas of Biswanath Chariali were also present.

LAKHIMPUR: The Lakhimpur District Committee of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) once again took to the street against digital smart meters being installed by Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) in the household of the power consumers. On Thursday, the members of the organization, in association with people of the district, staged ‘Dharna’ in front of the District Commissioner’s Office demanding the government of Assam to stop installation of the digital smart meter and withdraw the same already installed.

The protesters, led by Lakhimpur AJYCP president Hiranya Dutta, general secretary Arun Kumar Gogoi, at first took out a protest rally from the district office of the organization ignoring the inclement weather and marched forward to the District Commissioner’s Office covering the North Lakhimpur town. During the course of the demonstration, the protesters shouted multiple slogans against smart meters and to flay the Government of Assam for its move initiated to install the digital smart meters. Later the organization submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister of Assam through the Deputy Commissioner of Lakhimpur.

“The electricity tariffs on smart meters installed by the Electricity Department (APDCL) under the Government of Assam have been burdening the people of Assam financially. The smart meters installed by the department concerned have caused power consumers in Assam to pay many times higher electricity tariffs than the electricity they consume. There are also various irregularities in the smart meters purchased by the electricity department from companies from other states. In short, the middle class, lower middle class and poor people of Assam have currently been financially exploited through the smart meters installed by the Electricity Department. Already public and various organizations initiated massive protests  against the smart meters across the state. It is already clear that people of all levels in Assam will never accept smart meters. Unfortunately, the government has ignored the public opinion and continued the installation of the smart meters for electricity consumers. This is a crystal clear example of a government elected by the people ignoring public opinion”, the memorandum said.

Through the same memorandum, Lakhimpur AJYCP demanded the Government of Assam to take measures to ensure that the smart meters are banned in the state. “Otherwise, we will initiate intensified democratic protest in the upcoming days in association with public”, Lakhimpur AJYCP added in the memorandum.

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