Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Congress workers led by former Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Patkar staged a protest outside Vidyut Bhavan in Panaji on Wednesday, demanding that the State government issue an official notification permanently withdrawing the Smart Meter Project.
The protest was held despite Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s announcement that the implementation of smart meters has been kept on hold pending resolution of issues related to sanctioned load and penalties imposed on consumers.
Addressing the gathering, Patkar said the government’s verbal assurance was insufficient and insisted that the project be scrapped through a formal written order.
“We want a government notification cancelling the project. Keeping it on hold is not the same as withdrawing it,” Patkar said, while alleging that consumers across Goa had faced difficulties due to the smart meter rollout.
Police personnel prevented the protesters from entering the Electricity Department premises, stopping them at the main gate of Vidyut Bhavan. Congress leaders maintained that they had the right to enter a public office and seek clarification from officials on behalf of consumers.
A delegation later met Chief Electrical Engineer (CEE) Stephan Fernandes, who informed them that the smart meter installation programme has been suspended for the time being.
“The rollout has been put on hold. The department had procured one lakh smart meters and supplied them to vendors for installation. Of these, around 43,000 meters have already been installed across the State,” Fernandes said.
He clarified that all installed smart meters are presently operating in post-paid mode.
“All smart meters that have been installed are functioning in post-paid mode. A notification regarding the refund of penalties collected from consumers will be issued tomorrow,” Fernandes stated.
Providing further details, Fernandes said that nearly 80 per cent of the smart meter installations were carried out in Panaji, while the remaining meters were installed on feeders, departmental connections and new consumer connections.
He also announced that approximately ₹43 crore collected as penalties would be returned to consumers.
“About ₹43 crore collected as penalties will be credited back to consumers. The increase in electricity bills reported by some consumers is not linked to smart meters,” Fernandes said.
The CEE further explained that wherever a consumer’s sanctioned load requires revision, the Electricity Department would undertake the upgrade process automatically.
Patkar, however, reiterated that Congress would continue its agitation until the government formally notifies the cancellation of the Smart Meter Project, arguing that public concerns remain unresolved despite the suspension of installations.
