PrashantNews
Is there any difference between postpaid and prepaid smart electricity meters? Well, those in the know say they are two sides of the same coin. Consumers can use smart meter in both ways – prepaid or postpaid, just like a mobile phone.
But still, there are divergent views. Congress is claiming that by installing these smart meters, the BJP government in the state wants to “hand over” the entire power distribution to the Adani Group.
With the opposition against the installation of smart meters in Uttarakhand mounting, the state government has claimed that it would install postpaid smart meters free of cost and not (not) prepaid ones in the hill state. A clarification to this effect came from Principal Secretary (Energy) R Meenakshi Sunderam at a press conference in Dehradun on Saturday. Sundram said the government is offering 4 percent subsidy per month in case consumers opt for the prepaid meters.
On the other hand, the Industries Association of Uttarakhand (IAU) President Pankaj Gupta said the industries have welcomed the installation of prepaid meters. “We are welcoming these smart prepaid meters as there is no security,” said Gupta. “In the long run these meters will be helpful in bringing down AT&C losses which are very high our state,” he said.
An “Adani bhagao, Uttarakhand bachao” campaign is on in Kumaon region of Uttarakhand where a host of Congress leaders led by Kichcha MLA Tilak Raj Behad have strongly started opposing the move of the Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL), the state power utility, to install 15.82 lakh smart electricity meters in the hill state.
In a recent viral video, Behad is also seen smashing a smart electricity meter in Kichcha in Uttarakhand. “I will not allow these meters to be installed in my constituency,” Behad declared.
Behad said he would also “take out a symbolic funeral procession” of Gautam Adani on Monday on the issue.
After the video went viral, a host of Congress leaders have started opposing the installation of the prepaid meters in the hill state. “We are strongly against the installation of prepaid meters as they will put heavy financial burden on the people. The government is trying to provide benefit to Adani by installing these meters,” said Karan Mahra, state Congress President.
Former state Congress chief Pritam Singh said he would raise the issue in the coming session of the Vidhan Sabha.
State congress vice president Suryakant Dhasmana said installing prepaid meters was a first step toward “handing over” the power sector to the Adani Group.
Meanwhile, the UPCL has defended its decision saying it wants to modernize the power system. Through these meters, the consumers will track their usage pattern and adjust their consumption and the line losses will be less, UPCL said.