Assam: Smart meter refusal allegedly leads to extra handwritten bills in Chamata

A CORRESPONDENT

NALBARI: Fresh allegations have surfaced against the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL)'s Chamata Electrical Sub-Division, with several consumers claiming they were forced to pay additional handwritten charges of Rs 2,000-Rs 3,000 on their electricity bills for refusing the installation of smart meters.

The allegations come amid the ongoing debate over smart meters across Assam. Although the State Government has clarified on multiple occasions that smart meter installation is not mandatory and that consumers have the option to use them, residents of Chamata allege that pressure tactics are still being employed by the department.

According to consumers, around 20-22 households from areas including Shimaliya and Bihampur have been affected. They claim that their existing electricity meters are fully functional and that they have been paying their bills regularly. Last month, APDCL staff reportedly issued computer-generated bills ranging between Rs 200 and Rs 500. However, when consumers visited the sub-division office to pay the bills, officials allegedly wrote an additional Rs 2,000-Rs 3,000 by hand on the same bills and warned that such extra charges would continue unless smart meters were installed.

Some consumers alleged that when they threatened to approach the court, the department accepted payment based only on the original computer-generated bill without the additional handwritten amount. Several others have now warned of filing legal cases against the sub-divisional authorities.

The aggrieved consumers questioned why they were being penalised when their existing meters were functioning properly. They demanded that if smart meter installation is indeed compulsory, the department should provide a copy of the official government notification instead of allegedly coercing consumers. They further alleged that departmental staff, along with contractor personnel, have attempted to install smart meters at their homes in their absence. Failing to do so, they claim, the department has resorted to imposing additional handwritten charges.

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