Protest Against Prepaid Smart Meters in Silchar Turns Ugly; Protesters allege Police of misbehaviour

Various slogans against the state government and the central government were raised in Silchar today as protesters came in front of the Cachar district collector’s office and staged a demonstration to register their protest against prepaid smart meters that were being installed by APDCL (Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd) conversion of all the existing low-tension post-paid connections.

However, things soon turned ugly as police officials deployed to disperse the protesters, allegedly manhandled them including the women and the elderly residents of the district.

A woman protestor, speaking with the publication, complained that she was dragged and pushed by male police officers while there were elderly people too who were manhandled by the police.

People of Silchar came out in large numbers to register their protest against prepaid smart meters that were being installed by APDCL (Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd) conversion of all the existing low-tension post-paid connections, having electricity supplied through smart meters, into pre-paid connections, with effect from January 1, 2023.

The protest march was organized at the call of several organisations and prominent residents of Silchar. The march started from the Khudiram Statue of the city as the starting point. Hundreds of men and women from the city came out to sound their ire against the government’s move.

Protestors’ primary demand was that the Government should immediately take back the rollout of the smart meters and also provide 200 Units of free electricity per month.

Angry protesters alleged that the government is planning to harass the general public in the name of prepaid meters. Due to prepaid, people have to pay excessive electricity bills. As a result, the common people are facing the most difficulty. The protesters further alleged that the government was involved in a plan to make the electricity department private.

Early this year the Assam government decided to install 44 lakh smart meters at an estimated budget of ₹4,632.30 crore. The deadline for completion of the project has been fixed at March 31, 2025.