Assam: Electricity Consumers Slam Smart Meters in Convention

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: At a time when people are up in arms against the ‘Smart Meters’, the Eastern Zone Electricity Consumers’ Convention organised by the All Assam Electricity Consumer Association here on Monday raised some pertinent questions regarding the installation of smart meters.

The meeting was chaired by the president of the All India Electricity Consumer Association, Swapan Ghosh. Representatives from Bihar, Odisha, Tripura, West Bengal, and Meghalaya, in addition to those from Assam, were present and delivered speeches against smart meters.

It was noted in the convention that electricity is an essential utility. Availing of this facility is the fundamental right of the common people, irrespective of economic status.

“This Convention notes with serious concern that the power sector presently is under severe threat of privatisation, causing immense suffering to the common consumers’ at large. With deep anguish, this convention expresses that all out measures have been taken to privatise the power sector for the interest of the corporate sectors,” it was stated.

Speakers at the Convention said that the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) was launched in order to privatise the distribution system through the installation of prepaid smart meters. “This Convention can’t fail to note that this attempt has created severe discontent amongst the common consumers throughout the country. But in the face of stiff resistance from the consumers’ of many states, the governments there have already been forced to postpone their decision,” it was added.

Others raised some pertinent questions like, (a) Is the existing Digital Meter  unable to measure the exact consumption of electricity of the consumers? and (b) Whether it has been proved obsolete through the scientific experiment?

They said the answer is ‘No’. Then why was this move taken? they questioned.

The Convention noted that electricity is an essential utility, and after independence, the Electricity (Supply) Act of 1948 was enacted with a view to supply power on a no-loss, no-profit basis. But after the formation of a nation-wide grid network at the cost of the public exchequer, the central government enacted the Electricity Act 2003 against the interests of the people, the speakers claimed.

They also alleged that some private power producers are compelling the state-owned Distribution Companies  to purchase electricity at a higher rate through an unfair power purchasing agreement with the direct patronisation of the powers-that-be, causing untold sufferings to the common consumers.

Also read: Assam: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Denies Inflated Power Bills in Smart Meters

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