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Time of India
02-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Consumers protest in front of MSEDCL office in Sambhajinagar against installation of smart meters
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A group of consumers, led by the local unit of the Communist Party of India (CPI-M), staged a protest on Wednesday against the ongoing installation of 'smart meters' by the MSEDCL . Protesters said these new Time of Day (TOD) meters will inflict an additional financial burden on consumers. "Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co Ltd (MSEDCL) has appointed people to install these so-called 'smart' meters without our consent. The meters do not show real-time consumption data to date as promised by the state power utility. We fear that it will inflate our monthly power bills in days to come," Prashant Beedkar, a consumer, told TOI. Gathered in front of the office of the joint managing director of MSEDCL on Wednesday, protesters raised slogans against state govt and demanded a stay on the installation of smart meters. Local CPI (M) leader Abhay Taksal, who led the protest, claimed a few large corporate houses in India have bagged the contract for smart meters. He said, "There are several hidden terms and conditions associated with the installation of smart meters. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 3BHK Transformation Possible for ₹4.5 Lakh? HomeLane Get Quote Undo MSEDCL is deliberately keeping consumers in the dark about these. The installation of smart meters is a larger conspiracy to privatise the power supply." Taksal added that there is a strong possibility that the existing postpaid smart meters will become prepaid ones in days to come. "The private telecom service providers offered free internet initially and later gradually made data packages highly exorbitant in prices. Such a tactic is bound to be repeated in the matter of power supply in Maharashtra," he alleged. When contacted, MSEDCL authorities said false propaganda involving smart meters is being spread by certain elements. "We have not received complaints of hefty power bills from consumers who have received the smart meters. The existing postpaid nature of power bills will continue in the future too. The power tariffs are decided by the power regulator MERC, and therefore there is no scope for any arbitrary hike," the MSEDCL spokesperson for the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar zone said.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Smart meters live but consumers unable to access data in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Public resistance to Time of Day (ToD) or smart meters is mounting with many complaining of technical glitches. On Thursday, several consumers raised grievances after they were unable to access real-time consumption data despite MSEDCL's claim that smart meters installed in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have gone new meters were installed as part of central govt's Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now These were expected to update consumers on their real-time energy consumption and analyse power consumption data. A consumer from the N-11 sector said he received a message that read 'no data found' when he tried to access his power consumption trends using the official mobile app of MSEDCL. "The MSEDCL replaced my old meter with a smart meter a few weeks ago. While the new devices are projected as modern ones, these so-called smart meters fail to share hourly, daily and monthly power consumption analysis," he said, preferring to official data, over 56,000 ToD meters have been installed by MSEDCL in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar zone so far. Leftist leader Abhay Taksal, who has launched a public campaign against the new meter installations, said the unavailability of desired data exposes MSEDCL's tall claims. "The installation of smart meters is a strategy to offer benefits to corporate players at the cost of the interest of consumers. Govt must roll back its plan of replacing existing meters," he contacted, Pawankumar Kachhot, MSEDCL chief engineer of the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar zone, said the private agency concerned was developing a mobile application to access the data concerned. "The mobile application is under development. Once developed and made available to public, consumers will be able to access consumption trends," he told TOI. The MSEDCL top brass said they had no idea why the official mobile app of the state power utility has provided the option of accessing the desired data separately.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Chorus grows against installation of smart meters in Sambhajinagar
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: There has been mounting opposition from certain areas in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar after the MSEDCL started replacing old meters with Time of Day (ToI) meters or smart meters . Leftist politicians accused the BJP and its alliance partners of taking a U-turn in matters related to the smart meters. "Prior to the assembly elections, the BJP assured a stay on installing smart meters, fearing public flak. Now the polls are over, BJP leaders are pushing for the installation of such meters without taking consumers into confidence," said leftist politican Abhay Taksal said. He claimed that the pre-paid meter will burn holes in the pockets of customers. "The present and future govt policies, involving these devices, are private firm-friendly," Taksal said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Vikas Gaikwad, a consumer leader, said the MSEDCL must replace smart meters installed in some areas at the earliest. "We have planned a mega agitation on May 6 in front of the MSEDCL regional office. A large number of citizens are expected to join the agitation against the smart meters," he said. When contacted, MSEDCL authorities said charges levelled by leftist leaders and others are baseless. "The installation of new meters is a part of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) of the Centre. It is happening across the country with an aim to modernise the power distribution sector by improving its efficiency and accountability. The scheme is consumer-friendly," a senior MSEDCL official said. Power utility officials categorically debunked claims that existing post-paid meters would be converted into pre-paid meters. "It is false propaganda, and consumers must not believe it," authorities said.
