Jammu: Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) Tuesday urged the Managing Director Jammu Power Development Corporation Limited (JPDCL) Shiv Anand Tayal to immediately stop the installation of smart meters or prepaid meters till the resolution of the issue of excess billing.
The demand was raised when a delegation of JCCI led by its president Arun Gupta met Tayal here today.
During interaction, Arun Gupta raised various pressing issues relating to inflated power bills which were causing distress and unease among the consumers, particularly those who were paying their bills regularly and honestly. The delegation urged the MD JPDCL to immediately stop the installation of smart meters till the complaints of excess billing of these meters was sorted out to the satisfaction of the general public (consumers).
“In case, it is utmost necessary to install the smart meters, the consumers or house owner should be intimated first before installation of said meters and the department must show the tag of meter tested as “OK” to the owner of the house, besides the meter must be installed in the premises of the house owner at a suitable and moderate height,” JCCI delegation demanded.
The delegation also comprised JCCI senior vice president Anil Gupta; junior vice president Rajeev Gupta; secretary general Manish Gupta; secretary Rajesh Gupta and treasurer Rajesh Gupta.
JCCI president further apprised the MD JPDCL that PDD should issue clearance certificate regarding previous power bills before installing the new smart meters and the meter reading of both the new as well as existing meters should be conveyed to the concerned consumers.
“When the government is abolishing 15 percent electricity duty, the benefit of the same should be passed on to the consumers instead of merging the same with the unit rates and it should also be guaranteed that the government will not reintroduce the electricity duty subsequently through a government order,” the delegation demanded.