The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Pune unit organised a protest outside the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited's (MSEDCL) headquarters in Rasta Peth on Thursday, voicing their opposition to the installation of smart meters in the city.
In a statement, the party alleged, "The government is deceiving citizens by installing smart prepaid meters to benefit certain industrialists. Their focus is solely on exploiting the public, rather than addressing the persistent power outages plaguing the city." The party further claimed that the installation of smart meters is a massive scam.
AAP leader Ajit Phatake Patil remarked, "While states like Delhi and Punjab provide free electricity, it is a travesty that ordinary citizens in Maharashtra are burdened with the highest electricity rates."
Sudarshan Jagdale, the Pune City chief of AAP, added, "The government has introduced this scheme solely to siphon money from the common people and line Adani's pockets. We will not permit the installation of smart meters in Pune."
Mukund Kirdat, AAP State Spokesperson, alleged, "The estimated cost of the meter is ₹6,000, but the tender has been awarded for ₹12,000. This additional cost will ultimately be borne by the public."
Meanwhile, the MSEDCL has decided to first install these meters in its offices and staff quarters before replicating the process elsewhere. The installation will commence soon. In the Pune Circle, there are a total of 320 staff quarters and 250 MSEDCL offices.
After installing smart meters at its offices and staff quarters, the MSEDCL will begin installing them for consumers. Currently, the MSEDCL has provided both prepaid and postpaid options. Later, MSEDCL may decide to offer only the prepaid option. These smart meters ensure accurate electricity usage records, unlike conventional meters that can provide incorrect readings. Consumers can track their usage on their mobile phones.
