Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) members on the BEST committee on Tuesday strongly opposed the installation of smart electricity meters in Mumbai's island city, alleging that the rollout was being pushed through without adequately taking citizens into confidence and, in some cases, through 'use of force'.
BEST Management Highlights Benefits
At a meeting of the BEST panel, the utility's management made a detailed presentation highlighting the benefits of smart meters, saying the technology helps curb power theft, improves billing transparency and enables consumers to monitor electricity consumption on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. BEST general manager Sonia Sethi said the smart meter programme is part of an ambitious central government initiative and noted that MSEDCL and several other power utilities have already moved ahead with large-scale installations.
Sethi said BEST should also take the project forward as it is in the larger interest of consumers, adding that smart meters are being rolled out across the country with substantial government subsidy support. BEST panel chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao said the utility could receive nearly 60% subsidy from the Centre for the project. She also dismissed allegations that smart meters were inflating bills, saying checks comparing old and new meters showed similar readings.
Opposition Demands Consent
However, Shiv Sena (UBT) member Nitin Nandgaonkar said the opposition had not yet given its approval to the proposal. He insisted that residents must first be taken into confidence before any further implementation. Nandgaonkar alleged that BEST officials entered housing societies without proper consent, leading to disputes with residents. He claimed that 14 complaints were already submitted to BEST management by consumers and alleged that FIRs were registered in some cases linked to confrontations during installations.
Vishwasrao denied that force was being used and maintained that smart meters would be a major advantage for BEST and consumers alike by creating a robust digital database and improving service delivery. She said claims that bills jumped from Rs 200 to Rs 2,000 after smart meter installation were 'false allegations.'
