UP: Groom leads his wedding procession in protest against smart meter installation

Banda (UP), Apr 20 (PTI): In an unusual protest, a groom in Uttar Pradesh's Banda district on Monday staged a demonstration along with his wedding procession against the installation of smart meters, alleging arbitrary billing by the power departmen.

UP: Groom leads his wedding procession in protest against smart meter installation

Banda (UP), Apr 20 (PTI): In an unusual protest, a groom in Uttar Pradesh's Banda district on Monday staged a demonstration along with his wedding procession against the installation of smart meters, alleging arbitrary billing by the power department.

Wearing traditional wedding headgear, Kuldeep Kumar, a resident of Ujrehata village, reached the historic Ashok Lott intersection in Banda district headquarters with around a hundred members of his wedding procession.

Initially, onlookers believed it to be a regular procession, but soon, the groom and the 'baratis' began raising slogans to the tune of a band and marched towards the Collectorate.

Speaking to reporters outside the district magistrate's office, Kumar said that he was handed an inflated electricity bill based on a smart meter by power department employees during the procession, along with a warning that his electricity connection would be disconnected if the bill was not paid.

He alleged that a smart meter had been forcibly installed at his house after removing the conventional meter, resulting in higher bills than before. Despite lodging several complaints seeking its removal, no official paid heed, he claimed.

Later, under the leadership of A S Nomani, chief of the Bundelkhand Insaf Sena, the groom and his supporters submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath through the district magistrate, following which the wedding procession proceeded.

Meanwhile, state energy minister A K Sharma has highlighted that efforts are underway to resolve smart meter-related issues on a war footing, according to a statement issued in Lucknow on Sunday.

"A provision has been implemented for smart meter consumers that even in case of zero balance, electricity supply will not be disrupted for a maximum of 3 days or up to Rs 200 (for loads up to 2 kilowatts), so that consumers can get relief," he said, adding that measures are being taken to ensure prompt redressal of public grievances. PTI COR KIS MPL MPL

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