Team Goemkarponn
PONDA: Police stopped Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, volunteers and supporters from marching to the residence of Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar at Bandora-Nageshi, where they intended to protest against rising electricity bills and the implementation of smart meters.
A large police presence was deployed at Nageshi junction, preventing the demonstrators from entering Bandora and proceeding with their planned morcha. The protest was organised to demand the withdrawal of smart meters and relief for consumers facing what the party termed inflated power bills.
Speaking to reporters, AAP Goa president Valmiki Naik alleged that electricity bills across the state had reached unprecedented levels, with many households receiving bills amounting to several thousand rupees. He said protests in places such as Anjuna and Mapusa, along with widespread grievances on social media, reflected growing public dissatisfaction.
Naik contended that one of the major reasons for the higher bills was the levy of penalties on consumers whose electricity usage exceeded their sanctioned load. He argued that many connections were sanctioned decades ago and consumers are often unaware of the load limit assigned to them, while household electricity consumption has naturally increased due to the use of modern appliances.
He maintained that consumers are being penalised despite paying for the electricity they actually use and described the practice as unjust. Naik also alleged that the process of increasing sanctioned load involves additional security deposits and processing fees, placing an unnecessary financial burden on the public.
The AAP leader further criticised the rollout of smart meters and additional charges such as Public Lighting Duty and FPPCA, claiming they have added to consumers’ financial woes.
