Members of the All Assam Electricity Consumers Association (AAECA) staged a protest outside Bijulee Bhawan in Guwahati’s Paltan Bazar area, presenting five key demands to the state government. The demonstrators, carrying banners and chanting slogans, firmly called for the removal of smart meters, urging a return to manual meters. They also demanded the establishment of a consumer redressal forum in each division and the resolution of persistent load shedding, among other issues.
The AAECA emphasized that protests against smart meters have been ongoing for the past two years. In December 2023, the association submitted a memorandum to the chief minister with over 3 lakh signatures. They also held discussions with the Power Minister in February 2024 and vowed to continue their protests until their demands are addressed.
During the demonstration, a formal memorandum was handed over to Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) CGM, Dwipen Moral. Earlier, the Assam government responded to the controversy, denying claims that smart meters were the cause of rising electricity bills. To address consumer grievances, the government launched three toll-free numbers for assistance. They attributed the higher bills to increased electricity consumption during the summer, with domestic usage rising by 7% this year, pushing many consumers into higher tariff slabs.
Protests against the smart meter system are spreading across various districts. On August 27, tensions escalated in Biswanath, leading the administration to impose a curfew following protests led by the Congress party and the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), who claim the meters have caused exorbitant tariffs for consumers.
