Report by Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
Maharashtra electricity workers will organize a state-wide agitation against smart meters on 30 January. In addition, consumers’ and traders’ organizations in citizens’ struggle committees against smart meters will participate in the agitation.
The government of Maharashtra and the Mahavitaran (state distribution company) administration have decided to install smart meters for 2 crore 25 lakh power consumers, although smart meters are against the interests of both consumers and workers. The installation of smart meters will affect the state’s population of more than 11 crore citizens and add a burden of Rs. 16,000 crores on power consumers. The Maharashtra State Electricity Workers’ Federation has pointed out a scam of Rs. 6,000 crores in the procurement of these meters.
With smart meters, consumers will have to pay for their power consumption in advance. Moreover, smart meters will be connected to mobile apps, and people in rural regions may not be able to use such apps. Consequently, they may be deprived of access to electricity. As workers and citizens have been rightly highlighting, smart meters are a step towards privatisation of electricity.
On 30 January, protest demonstrations have been planned across the state. In Maharashtra, electricity workers’ unions, various workers’ organizations, farmers’ organizations, gram panchayats, gram sabhas, consumers’ and people’s organizations, and political parties have been holding programs to oppose smart meters. Protests have been conducted in Kolhapur, Sangli, Gadhinglaj, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Kurduwali, Bhandara, Nagpur, Thane and other places.