The Tripura Pradesh Congress has demanded the withdrawal of smart meters and associated charges, alleging that the government’s smart-meter policy is imposing an additional financial burden on ordinary electricity consumers.
Addressing a press conference at the Pradesh Congress Bhavan in Agartala, Pradesh Congress spokesperson Prabir Chakraborty accused the BJP-led government of “cultivating falsehoods” and made a sharp attack on Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath, saying he “deserves a gold medal for spreading misinformation.”
Chakraborty questioned the government’s policy of installing smart meters in the name of modernising the power sector and raised concerns over what he described as an abnormal rise in electricity bills following their installation.
He acknowledged that technology has been introduced into electricity systems in several countries and that various technologies, including smart meters, have previously been introduced on an experimental basis in India. However, he said technological advancement should be acceptable only when it serves the interests of consumers and makes the electricity system more transparent and affordable.
According to Chakraborty, the publicity surrounding smart meters is overshadowing the actual problems being faced by consumers. He questioned whether electricity bills of ordinary consumers have actually decreased or increased after smart meters were installed, saying that the issue requires a transparent assessment.
He claimed that there have been instances where consumers received electricity bills several times higher than those of previous months despite allegedly having similar patterns of consumption.
“For a three-member family, even if air-conditioners and other electrical appliances are being used, a sudden increase of several times in the electricity bill, despite no significant change in consumption, needs to be investigated,” he said.
Chakraborty also questioned who would be held responsible if unusually high bills were caused by technical faults or problems with meter readings.
Citing his own electricity bill as an example, the Congress spokesperson said he was personally examining an unusually high bill received for his residence. He said his own experience had prompted him to verify the issue and understand the ground reality.
He clarified that the Congress was not opposed to technology but wanted technological improvements to make people’s lives easier, ensure transparency in the power sector and provide relief to consumers. However, he said any technology that places an additional financial burden on ordinary people must be questioned.
The Congress leader demanded that electricity consumption levels before and after the installation of smart meters, differences in bills and the accuracy of meter readings be made available for public scrutiny. He also called for an independent investigation into complaints of unusually high electricity bills to determine the actual reasons behind them.
The press conference was also attended by SC Department Chairman Niranjan Das and Sadar District Congress President Tanmoy Roy.
Chakraborty also spoke on several contemporary issues during the press conference and criticized the government over its handling of matters affecting the people of the state.