Nagpur: Hundreds of electricity consumers, activists, trade union members and representatives of various political parties took out a massive march to Vidyut Bhavan on Katol Road on Thursday to protest what they termed the forceful installation of smart electricity meters by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL).The march was organised by the Smart Meter Virodhi Nagrik Sangharsh Samiti following a decision taken at its meeting on June 17. Protesters assembled at Mangalwari Bazaar in Sadar and began the march at around 11 am under the leadership of committee convener Mohan Sharma, Congress city president Prafulla Gudadhe, committee coordinator Yugal Rayalu and co-coordinator Arun Latkar.Participants raised slogans against the smart meter rollout, alleging that consumers were being pressured to accept the new meters without their consent. Representatives of Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Jai Vidarbha Party, Republican Party of India (Khobragade faction), AITUC, CITU and others joined the protest.Police stopped the march, which was headed to the office of the chief engineer of MSEDCL’s Nagpur Zone at Vidyut Bhavan, near the Govt Girls’ School on Katol Road.A delegation was allowed to meet chief engineer Rajesh Naik and submit a memorandum addressed to the chairman and managing director of MSEDCL. The memorandum demanded an immediate halt to messages being sent to domestic consumers regarding smart meter installation and urged the utility not to install the meters without the consent of consumers.The committee alleged that the ongoing drive was anti-consumer and warned that any attempt to impose smart meters on households against their wishes would trigger a stronger statewide agitation. It further stated that MSEDCL management would be held responsible for any situation arising from such actions.
