The UP Electricity Department has taken strict action against companies installing smart prepaid meters in Uttar Pradesh following allegations of large-scale irregularities and financial losses.
In a recent development, Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam (MVVNL) has filed an FIR against Polaris, a company responsible for installing smart meters, in Sitapur district. A similar FIR has been instructed to be filed in Gonda.
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The tender for installing smart prepaid meters across the state was awarded to four companies, which have so far installed meters for approximately 35 lakh consumers. However, complaints have surfaced regarding arbitrary installation practices, meters “jumping” loads, and running faster than recorded.
According to Avdhesh Kumar Verma, president of the State Electricity Consumers Council, Polaris and its state-level personnel have allegedly caused losses worth crores of rupees to the electricity department.
During installation, the company reportedly removed old meters but zeroed out their accounts and failed to return a large number of these meters to the department.
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In Sitapur, 443 old meters were not handed over to the electricity testing division, delaying the issuance of monthly consumer bills. In Gonda, old meters were reportedly zeroed out in the sealing certificate, and in two instances, 4,270 meters were not returned.
The Chief Engineer of Gonda has instructed the filing of an FIR, stating that the department is not receiving records from the smart prepaid meters, resulting in interruptions in electricity supply to consumers after installation.