Various opposition parties in Tripura on Monday opposed the state government’s recent decision to set up smart electric meters and add new surcharge to electricity bills.
The Congress staged a protest outside the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) office in Agartala.
Addressing the rally, a Congress leader said, “Electricity bills have increased. We strongly condemn it … In West Bengal, his party is opposing the establishment of a smart meter, but in Tripura, the power minister is in favor of the establishment of a smart meter.”
The Congress organized similar protests on this issue in Unakoti, North Tripura and Gomti districts.
“In Tripura, people want to know how much commission has been given to (BJP) to start a smart meter.
Another Congress leader in Kailashar said that the BJP had assured to fulfill more than 300 promises in its ‘Vision Document’ before coming to power.
He claimed that the BJP said that it would present a proper power tariff.
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“After the BJP came to power, the power services in Kailashar are in a pathetic position. At the top of it, the BJP-led state government has decided to set up a smart meter. Why can’t the double-engine government control power tariff?” He said.
Similarly, the Trinmool Congress (TMC) staged a protest in front of the residence of Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath, seeking the overload of the decision to set up a smart meter and the return of rollback.
The TMC leader said, “We have organized a sit-in in front of the power minister’s residence and we will continue our opposition until he withdraws the decision.”
Meanwhile, primary opposition party, CPI (M) also protested in front of Udaipur Bidoot Bhavan.
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“We demand that the state stop the installation of smart meters and roll back the power surcharge,” said a CPI (M) leader.
Reacting to the protests, Electricity Minister Nath said, “There has been an attempt to confuse people. Electrical surcharge and smart meters are two different things. During the BJP rule in the last seven years, the power tariff has been increased to 24.9 percent, while Tariff ERSTWHILE CPI (M) has increased by 116.03 percent during the last seven years of ERSTWHILE CPI (M).
He said, “Earlier, power services were directly under the State Electricity Department, but the Left Government formed the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited in 2004.”
The minister said that the power consumer both meters – existing electronic meters and new smart meters – if they have doubts about smart meters.
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If any mistake is detected in the smart meter, the government will withdraw the decision to establish them, he said.
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