CURATED BY – CHANDAN KUMAR CHAUBEY | CITYCHIEFNEWS

RJD, Congress, MP Pappu Yadav are opposing the installation of smart meters in Patna, Bihar. On Thursday, Bihar Congress also took out a rally on this issue. But the Nitish government has issued an order to install smart meters on a war footing. In the new order, all government offices have been given the last date of 30 November to install smart meters. Due to delay and negligence in completing the target within the stipulated time limit, the Energy Secretary has taken action against three metering agencies and has given instructions to blacklist companies like High Print, NCC, Adani Power and EESL.

Energy Secretary reviewed

The Energy Secretary reviewed the progress of Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Providers working in South and North Bihar. In this meeting, many important instructions were given to improve power supply and consumer services. South Bihar Managing Director Mahendra Kumar and North Bihar Company Managing Director Dr. Nilesh Deore were also present in the meeting. Representatives of metering agencies High Print, NCC, Adani Power, Secure Meters Limited, EESL working in North Bihar and agencies Intellismart and Genus Power working in South Bihar were also present in the meeting. The CMD directed the Managing Directors of both the Discoms to blacklist and impose penalty clauses on High Print, NCC, Adani Power and EESL for not completing the target within the stipulated time limit.

Electricity connections of buildings will be disconnected

In fact, Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena had given clear instructions during the review meeting of the Energy Department on September 17 that it is mandatory to install smart prepaid meters in all government buildings of the state by November 30. If smart meters are not installed in any government building by this time limit, then the electricity connections of the concerned buildings will be disconnected. In the light of this instruction, the Energy Secretary directed all metering agencies to install smart meters in their area. He also asked to install check meters in government buildings so that there is no doubt in the minds of consumers.

The CMD clearly told all the agencies associated with AMISP that there is a need to work at section, block and panchayat level to effectively implement the smart prepaid metering system. He also instructed everyone to speed up DT and feeder metering and consumer tagging. To increase awareness of smart prepaid metering, IAIC activities will have to be conducted on a large scale. Under this, large scale publicity has to be done to make the general public aware about the benefits of smart meters.