logo
Smart meter blues? Saoner farmer left reeling by Rs2.39L electricity bill

Smart meter blues? Saoner farmer left reeling by Rs2.39L electricity bill

Time of India5 days ago
Nagpur: Farmers in Kelwad village, about 45 km from Nagpur, were left shocked after receiving exorbitant power bills following the installation of smart meters by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co.
Ltd (
MSEDCL
). One farmer received a bill of Rs2.39 lakh, while another was billed Rs1.34 lakh, triggering outrage among villagers.
Following the inflated bills, a group of locals gathered outside the MSEDCL office in Kelwad on Thursday, demanding clarification and immediate corrective action.
MSEDCL later clarified that most consumers were billed based on their average summer electricity consumption. However, it admitted that two cases appeared to have inflated amounts.
"Bills were generated using both the old meter reading and the initial reading from the new smart meters. In very few cases this overlap resulted in inflated bills. Only two consumers were found to have received abnormal bills, which were rectified. Both cases will be verified," an MSEDCL official said.
TOI is in possession of both of the bills. The first, issued in the name of Venkati Gohatre, was Rs2.39 lakh. The second, issued to Shankar Bhangde, amounted to Rs1.34 lakh.
Shankar's grandson, Golu Bhangde, told TOI they were shocked to see the inflated bill. "The inflated bill came right after the smart meter was installed. Last month, our bill was around Rs2,500. We approached MSEDCL officials, and they revised it to Rs1,150," he said.
MSEDCL officials said that claims of smart meters resulting in inflated bills are inaccurate. "Nearly 4,000 smart meters have been installed so far in Saoner taluka.
In cases where the replacement reading data wasn't uploaded into the system, consumers received bills based on average usage. Those who received inflated bills need not worry, revised bills will be issued after meter inspection. Consumers facing such issues can contact their local MSEDCL subdivision office," stated a press release issued by MSEDCL.
The incident has added fuel to growing resistance against smart meter installations, a move that has faced stiff opposition from citizens and political parties. A key concern during the rollout was that smart meters would lead to inflated bills, a claim MSEDCL has consistently denied.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'Well-planned scheme to siphon off public money': ED raids Anil Ambani; bribery angle under scanner
'Well-planned scheme to siphon off public money': ED raids Anil Ambani; bribery angle under scanner

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

'Well-planned scheme to siphon off public money': ED raids Anil Ambani; bribery angle under scanner

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate ( ED ) on Thursday conducted searches at the premises of industrialist Anil Ambani in connection with an ongoing money laundering investigation. Sources told TOI that the case involves alleged laundering of approximately Rs 3,000 crore received as loans from Yes Bank between 2017 and 2019. The ED's probe is based on a CBI FIR in the Yes Bank case and centres around the financial dealings of RAAGA companies — firms under the Reliance Anil Ambani Group. "Preliminary investigation by ED has revealed well-planned and thought after scheme to divert/ siphon off public money by cheating banks, shareholders, investors and other public institutions. The offence of bribing bank officials including promoter of Yes Banks Limited is also under scanner," sources told TOI. "Preliminary investigation reveals illegal loan diversion of around Rs. 3000 Crores from Yes Bank (period 2017 to 2019). ED has found that just before the loan was granted, the Yes Bank promoters received money in their concerns. ED is investigating this nexus of bribe and the loan," sources added. According to officials, multiple agencies, including the National Housing Bank, SEBI, National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA), and Bank of Baroda, have shared relevant information with the ED.

Bhiwapur police arrest 159 for sand smuggling in 16 months
Bhiwapur police arrest 159 for sand smuggling in 16 months

Time of India

time8 hours ago

  • Time of India

Bhiwapur police arrest 159 for sand smuggling in 16 months

Nagpur: The Bhiwapur police arrested 159 individuals and solved 92 cases related to illegal sand smuggling in the past 16 months and seized an estimated 712 brass of sand worth Rs36.7 lakh. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Officials said the success was achieved largely due to strategic surveillance, local-level inputs, and persistent follow-ups with the tehsil office to initiate legal action and recovery. Assistant police inspector Jayprakash Nirmal, who led the operation, said the Wainganga river in the Paoni area had become a hotspot for sand smuggling by people from several villages along its banks. "Locals extracted sand from the riverbed and stored it in depots across the area. The sand would be then sold at rates far below the market price," Nirmal told TOI. Most of the sand was routed to Nagpur, where demand for construction material is high. "People preferred the illegal route as procuring sand through legitimate channel is costlier because of the royalty, taxes, and transportation charges," Nirmal said. The sand was often stored in common plots without official titles, making it difficult for police to initiate action initially. Bhiwapur police adopted a dual strategy: criminal offences were lodged against identified individuals while the tehsil office was alerted simultaneously to initiate separate legal action. This coordination allowed for effective tracking of repeat offenders and confiscation of vehicles used in the trade. This resulted in gradual reduction in smuggling routes and dismantling of multiple illegal storage depots. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Data shared by the police shows that preventive measures were initiated against 182 individuals suspected of being involved or likely to aid such networks. According to Nirmal, many first-time offenders were either lured by quick profits or influenced by the established ecosystem in their villages. Police say efforts are under way to raise awareness among villagers about the legal consequences and environmental damage caused by sand smuggling. The crackdown is expected to continue with more field inspections and collaborations with the revenue department, as authorities aim to eliminate the practice entirely from Bhiwapur and nearby talukas. Nirmal stated that once sand is seized during anti-smuggling operations, permission is obtained from the tehsildar to allot it to the local gram panchayat or village development officers for distribution to residents, especially for constructing homes and basic housing needs.

Former state youth chief of NCP Suraj Chavan & nine others surrender before police, released
Former state youth chief of NCP Suraj Chavan & nine others surrender before police, released

Time of India

time8 hours ago

  • Time of India

Former state youth chief of NCP Suraj Chavan & nine others surrender before police, released

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Suraj Chavan, who was compelled to resign from the position of NCP state youth president after assaulting Chhava Sanghatna office bearers for throwing cards at NCP state president Sunil Tatkare, surrendered to Latur police late on Tuesday along with nine others. All the accused were released on Wednesday morning after being issued notices and instructed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. Police said the FIR registered against the suspects includes bailable sections, which resulted in their release. Latur superintendent of police Amol Tambe told TOI, "All the sections mentioned in the FIR have a punishment of seven or fewer years. According to the guidelines laid by the Supreme Court, arrest cannot be made under such sections." Sources within Latur police said in the coming days, police will initiate appropriate preventive measures to ensure that no law and order issues arise from similar incidents. The incident originated from a complaint lodged by Chhava Sanghatna's key office-bearer Vijay Ghadge, who, along with others, was assaulted by Chavan and other NCP workers after they threw playing cards at Tatkare. They also requested him to pass the cards to agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate, who allegedly appeared in a video showing him playing rummy during an assembly session. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No room on your Mac? Space Lens can easily and safely fix that MacPaw Read More Undo Despite Kokate denying the allegations of playing rummy on his cellphone, the matter has not subsided. At the time of the incident, Tatkare was addressing a news conference in Latur. Ghadge and others were assaulted, and the entire incident was recorded on camera, causing significant embarrassment to the NCP. Subsequently, party chief and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar took to social media to announce that Chavan was asked to resign from the position of the party's state youth president. Police reported that based on Ghadge's complaint, 11 NCP members, including Chavan, were charged by Latur police under sections of rioting and voluntarily causing hurt, among others. Additionally, the police invoked section 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Suraj Chavan, who was compelled to resign from the position of NCP state youth president after assaulting Chhava Sanghatna office bearers for throwing cards at NCP state president Sunil Tatkare, surrendered to Latur police late on Tuesday along with nine others. All the accused were released on Wednesday morning after being issued notices and instructed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. Police said the FIR registered against the suspects includes bailable sections, which resulted in their release. Latur superintendent of police Amol Tambe told TOI, "All the sections mentioned in the FIR have a punishment of seven or fewer years. According to the guidelines laid by the Supreme Court, arrest cannot be made under such sections." Sources within Latur police said in the coming days, police will initiate appropriate preventive measures to ensure that no law and order issues arise from similar incidents. The incident originated from a complaint lodged by Chhava Sanghatna's key office-bearer Vijay Ghadge, who, along with others, was assaulted by Chavan and other NCP workers after they threw playing cards at Tatkare. They also requested him to pass the cards to agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate, who allegedly appeared in a video showing him playing rummy during an assembly session. Despite Kokate denying the allegations of playing rummy on his cellphone, the matter has not subsided. At the time of the incident, Tatkare was addressing a news conference in Latur. Ghadge and others were assaulted, and the entire incident was recorded on camera, causing significant embarrassment to the NCP. Subsequently, party chief and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar took to social media to announce that Chavan was asked to resign from the position of the party's state youth president. Police reported that based on Ghadge's complaint, 11 NCP members, including Chavan, were charged by Latur police under sections of rioting and voluntarily causing hurt, among others. Additionally, the police invoked section 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store