SRINAGAR : Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has come under attack from Peoples Conference president Sajjad Lone over smart-meter installation, with Lone alleging that poor households are being made to pay thousands of rupees for additional cables despite the government’s earlier criticism of the exercise.
In a post on X, Lone alleged that the company installing smart meters provides only four metres of cable per household and that consumers are being asked to pay for any additional length. He claimed some households had been forced to shell out Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 for installation.
Lone also took a swipe at Omar over his election campaign stand on smart metering, saying the exercise had been subjected to “derision and sarcasm” while the promise of 200 units of free electricity remained unfulfilled.
Reacting to Lone’s allegations, Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), clarified that consumers are not required to purchase additional cables for smart-meter installation.
In a post on X, KPDCL said the project provides necessary installation cables, including additional lengths wherever technically required, and stressed that cable replacement or upgradation is optional and cannot be imposed as a condition for installation.