In Noida, the electricity corporation and a smart meter company are installing new prepaid smart meters to replace old, defective ones, despite there being a ban on the installation of new meters. These meters are being installed without the written consent of the consumers.
Add informalnewz.com as a Preferred Source
Prepaid Smart Meters: The arbitrary conduct of the electricity corporation and the company responsible for installing smart meters continues unabated. While the installation of new smart prepaid meters has generally been halted, new smart prepaid units are still being installed in households where existing postpaid meters have malfunctioned. According to recent directives, prepaid meters cannot be installed without the consumer’s written consent; yet, new instances of such violations continue to surface in the region on a daily basis.
The moment an old meter malfunctions, a team arrives immediately and installs a prepaid smart meter. Numerous residents have complained that prior to the installation, they received neither a formal notice nor were their consent sought. Instead, a team simply arrived one morning and installed the device. Those who have already had these meters installed are now demanding a reversal of the change.
Some families had anticipated that the new system would result in lower electricity bills; however, the prepaid system has, on the contrary, only compounded their difficulties. Unlike with the old meters, registering complaints has become a cumbersome process. Many residents have also reported that following the installation, the display panel—which indicates electricity consumption—is not functioning correctly.
Residents even requested that their old meters be repaired instead; however, the corporation and the meter installation company proceeded with the installation, citing it as a mandatory government scheme. Complaints are piling up, yet there appears to be no concrete avenue for their resolution.
No orders have been received yet to halt the installation of smart meters. Nevertheless, this work has been suspended. Smart meters are currently being installed in households where the existing old meters have become defective. Apart from installing these, there is currently no other alternative.
S.K. Jain, Chief Engineer, PVVNL, Gautam Buddha Nagar
🙏 Support Independent Journalism
We keep news free for you.
Most readers support with ₹500 ❤️
or scan QR below
Voluntary contribution. No tax benefits.
Add informalnewz.com as a Preferred Source
DISCLAIMER
We have taken all measures to ensure that the information provided in this article and on our social media platform is credible, verified and sourced from other Big media Houses. For any feedback or complaint, reach out to us at informalnewz@gmail.com
