New MSEDCL meters throws up shocking bills in Navi Mumbai
The new Radio Frequency Identify (RFID) meters employed by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) throughout Navi Mumbai are showing unexplainable exorbitant bills. This scenario has prompted MSEDCL to revert to its original method of taking snapshots of meter reading. The new project was started by the power board as a response to curb all the discrepancies and to provide accurate readings of electricity used by the consumers.
However, the new project has turned cumbersome with inaccurate readings and faulty bills. According to one resident, “Earlier, we paid Rs 1,000 per month. Then after tariffs increased, it went up to Rs 2,000 during summers but now the bills come to Rs 6,000. Something has gone very wrong”. The peculiarity of the problem is that low-income households have seen the maximum number of faulty readings and high bills.
The board was forced to roll back the new project after residents took up cudgels in Airoli. Hemangi Sonawane, Airoli Corporator staged a protest march to the MSEDCL office along with affected consumers and demanded that the previous method be taken up again. MSEDCL Executive Engineer, S D Survade, has said,” There is a technical glitch in the system and the company is working towards rectifying it. The issue is primarily about some meters not showing readings at times and by the time officials managed to get a reading, the billing cycle gets affected. Until these faulty meters are rectified, we will go back to taking pictures.”
To get further information about the faulty project and its impact, read here: http://bit.ly/1dNneyz
