Tripura State Electricity Corporation to Continue Smart Meter Installation Despite Protests Agartala, July 16 (Boroknow.com): Amid ongoing ...
Tripura State Electricity Corporation to Continue Smart Meter Installation Despite Protests
Agartala, July 16 (Boroknow.com):
Amid ongoing protests against the installation of smart meters for electricity consumers, the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd. (TSECL) has made it clear that it will not roll back its decision on installing smart or prepaid meters.
TSECL Managing Director Biswajit Basu said on Tuesday that smart meters would help reduce the corporation’s losses, ensure better consumer compliance, and improve overall service quality. “We have launched a campaign to explain the benefits of smart meters and how they will help both TSECL and the consumers,” Basu said.
Comparing the new system to UPI, he claimed that the technology is transparent and has not faced any reported discrepancies. “The technology is similar, and there is no reason to discontinue the smart meters,” Basu added.
Meanwhile, the opposition CPI(M) and Congress have questioned the BJP’s stand on smart meters. They pointed out that while the BJP opposed smart meters in West Bengal—forcing the state government to halt installation for domestic users—Tripura’s BJP government is continuing the project despite protests. “In Tripura, the BJP is doing the reverse,” said opposition leader Jitendra Chaudhury.
In a related development, TSECL has issued a show cause notice to TDS Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd., a private billing agency from Punjab that handles meter reading and billing operations. This comes after a major billing irregularity was found.
Tripura Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath has ordered an immediate investigation, which has revealed large-scale underbilling and possible corruption in Khowai district. The probe found that meter readers, acting on behalf of an external state agency, submitted average billing data instead of actual readings—despite meters being fully functional.
According to TSECL, this average billing practice resulted in huge underbilling and direct financial loss to the corporation, amounting to a clear breach of contract and possible gross negligence or deliberate misconduct.
— Boroknow News Desk
