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Miffed with power dept, protesters block Jammu’s Janipur road for two hours
Protesters demanded rolling back smart metres, inflated bills and revoking the proposed move of the prepaid billing system
{Inflated bills, smart metres}
Hundreds of people stepped out on Tuesday to protest against the power development department’s (PDD) smart metres, inflated electricity bills and proposed move to introduce a prepaid billing system in the region.
Led by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Amit Kapoor, protesters staged a sit-in outside the PDD office and blocked a section of the busy Janipur road for over nearly two hours.
Shouting slogans against the lieutenant governor (LG) Manoj Sinha, Bharatiya Janata Party and the PDD, the protestors also locked the gate of the department. They demanded rolling back smart metres, inflated bills and revoking the proposed move of the prepaid billing system.
Talking to media persons, Kapoor said, “The department has slapped inflated bills to the common people. From ₹300 to ₹500 a month, the consumers are now being served bills ranging from ₹3,500 a month.”
“The smart metres have also been shifted on electricity poles. Since none can read the units of electricity consumed, the department has started slapping inflated bills,” he alleged, adding, “These people are out on the streets today because inflated bills have ruined their budget.”
Meena Gupta, a protester, meanwhile, said, “While the LG is a total failure, BJP leaders in the region are hand in glove with the administration. We are the people who voted BJP to power, but we promise to teach them a lesson in the coming elections.”
“When the entire nation does not have smart metres and prepaid billing systems then why are the people of Jammu and Kashmir being through this inconvenience,” she questioned.
Notably, the region has been witnessing widespread protests against the PDD since the administration embarked on rejuvenating the UT’s power sector.
An official of the department who did not wish to be named said the concept of smart metres and prepaid billing system existed nowhere in the country.
Alleging that Jammu’s electricity supply system had collapsed, Apni Party provincial president and former minister Manjit Singh said the smart metres will only cause further harassment for electricity consumers.
“People of Jammu, who pay more revenue than Kashmir, have been left with no option by the PDD but to face harassment with inflated electricity bills and constant unscheduled power cuts,” he said, adding, “The electricity bills are beyond the paying capacity of the people. This has led to outrage among the people in Samba, Jammu, Kathua, and Udhampur.”
On Monday, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) had also staged a protest at Talab Tillo against the department for the same issues.
