Protests in Tinsukia against smart meter, rising power bill

Dibrugarh: Amid ongoing statewide protests against prepaid smart meters and soaring electricity bills, members of the All Assam Students’ Union (Aasu) took to the streets in Tinsukia on Saturday, demanding an end to the use of smart meters.
The protest comes amid growing frustration among consumers, who claim their electricity bills have surged by at least threefold since the introduction of smart prepaid digital meters.They are calling for the reinstatement of old analog meters, arguing that the new smart meters have only disadvantaged consumers.
“We are seeing a threefold increase in our electricity bills since the installation of these smart meters. It is becoming increasingly difficult for common people to afford such exorbitant bills,” said Aasu Tinsukia district president Satya Borgohain, calling for greater transparency and accountability from the authorities.
The Aasu leader demanded an immediate halt to the installation of smart meters and called for the reinstallation of the old analog meters, which he said were more reliable and easier to understand.
“We urge the govt to listen to the voice of the people. Consumers are not using more electricity; it’s the faulty billing system that’s the problem. We want the old meters back so that people can manage their electricity consumption better,” Borgohain added.
In addition to the rising electricity bills, the protesters also voiced concerns over the irregular supply of electricity in the region.