Report by Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
In Maharashtra opposition to Smart Electricity Meters is gathering momentum. In Nagpur a forum, Smart Meter Virodhi Nagrik Sangahrsh Samiti has been formed with the initiative of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). This forum has organized many meetings of electricity sector workers, and with citizens across the working class areas of Nagpur. They have also met the District officials and submitted a memorandum against Smart Meters.
Another forum has been formed in the same city by the activists of All India Electricity Consumers Association. This forum is collecting signatures of citizens opposing Smart meters. In Nashik a delegation of more than 20 activists have also met District officials and submitted a memorandum against Smart Meters. There have been reports of many more meetings in many cities of Maharashtra.
Activists belonging to the Maharashtra State Electricity Workers’ Federation (MSEWF) have been organizing meetings for their members. In Pune city, 2 such meetings were organized. Kamgar Ekta Committee activists have been actively participating in various meetings on the issue and have been in the forefront explaining various details of the Central government’s plan towards privatization of electricity distribution, with Smart Meters being one important step towards that objective.
The Maharashtra government has sensed that the opposition to Smart Meters has been growing. Hence its various officials including some Ministers are spreading lies about the Smart Meter program like for example-“Don’t worry, they will not be pre-paid meters”, “Don’t worry, the electricity consumers do not have to pay for these Smart meters” and son. The latest such announcement that “Smart meters will not be installed for domestic consumers and small businesses but only for big industries”.
The KEC representative exposed all these lies in a meeting in Kalyan, near Mumbai, organized by the Trade Union Joint Action Committee, Kalyan. The Smart Meter installation is an important aspect of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) launched by the Central Government. The State Government has no say in it. The RDSS scheme categorically mentions that the Smart Meters shall be pre-paid meters. He further explained various features of the RDSS and Smart Meters scheme and its anti-people and anti-worker character.
He pointed out that sensing people’s opposition to Smart Meters various political parties which are not in power will try to jump in the struggle for their own selfish electoral gains and warned that we can not rely on them. It is only the unity of electricity workers and consumers which can stop the Smart Meter installation.
He also emphasised the draconian provisions in the RDSS which mandate the DISCOMS (means State government owned electricity distribution companies) to put in place a performance based transfer policy, clearly indicating that thousands of electricity workers will be forced out of their jobs through the new transfer policy after installation of Smart Meters is completed.
Like in Maharashtra, there is widespread opposition to the installation of Smart Meters throughout the country. Wherever they have been installed, people are already getting highly inflated electricity bills and are also facing many other problems.
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We had earlier reported about the booklet exposing anti-people and anti-worker nature of Smart Meters which has been co-signed by 46 Worker’s, Peasant’s and People’s organizations. We are pleased to announce that thousands of these booklets in English, Hindi and Marathi have been bought by Electricity, Railway, Bank, Insurance, Coal and other sectors unions and some people’s organizations for distributing amongst their members across India. To get copies of this booklet (available in Hindi, English and Marathi), please contact on WhatsApp at 8454018757.