Tehsildar Nitinkumar Deore accepts memorandum of demands from protestors outside the office of the Additional Collector. In the first row are Ramdas Borse, Jameel Kranti, and Nikhil Pawar.
In Malegaon, protestors have intensified their stir against private electricity distributor, the Malegaon Power Supply Limited or the MPSL and the MahaVitaran, the state-owned power entity. They are now in direct confrontation with their “anti-consumer policies”, which according to them, were arbitrary and their actions were unilateral.
Agitators also lodged protests against the state government’s recent proposal to install prepaid electricity meters in identified zones.
“On December 4, the state government issued an order contracting NCC to install 28,86,622 prepaid meters in Nashik and Jalgaon zones. This will cost the exchequer a whopping Rs 3,461.06 crore. The decision sounds ridiculous as installing prepaid meters to prevent power theft was a cure worse than the disease itself,” said Nikhil Pawar, social activist who has been at the front of the ongoing agitation.
At the moment, consumers get 8-10 days to make payment for the power used after getting the bill. “This will not be possible in case of the prepaid meters. If the recharge ends, the electricity supply will be cut at once. This means those who do not have money will stop getting the electricity. This will make the situation even worse,” he added.
‘Bring back MahaVitaran’
In 2020, the state government hired the services of the MPSL to improve supply and supply network in the city. However, not enough money was being spent by the company to achieve these goals. The end consumers are suffering due to MPSL’s anti-poor policies. Citizens of the town are fed up with the management of this company and demand that the government immediately cancels the agreement with the MPSL.
MPSL COO Prem Singh says Covid in a way hindered their expenditure plans. (Pic: The Voice of Malegaon)
From March 2020 to March 2023, we had a target of spending Rs 60 crore on improving infrastructure including the supply network. So far, we have spent Rs 47 crore, which shows a shortfall of just Rs 13 crore. Covid-19 in a way hindered our expenditure plans. Also, the MSEDCL was supposed to provide us space for putting up two sub-stations costing Rs 12-13 crore. So, far they have not been able to provide us the space. Now we have decided to build a sub-station adjacent to the Ayesha Nagar sub-station. This sub-station will be of a capacity of 33×11 KV and 20 MVA. One sub-station costs around Rs 6-7 crore. Later on, we will work to put in place the second one on Agra Road. The non-availability of space has caused the delay, Prem Singh, COO, MPSL
No zonal offices
Consumers have to visit the head office of the company for every work, no hearing is conducted on the complaints related to inflated electricity bills, employees behave rudely to the citizens. The Zonal Officer appointed by the Maharashtra State Vidyut Vitaran Co., it is alleged, is also ineffective in controlling the affairs of the company.
Free electricity up to 300 units, demand protestors
In some states, electricity was being supplied free for up to 300 units for household consumption. Similarly, free electricity should be provided in Maharashtra as well.
Maharashtra has the highest electricity tariff in the country. Electricity tariffs seem to be beyond the reach of the common man. Some of the neighboring states are supplying electricity at half the price of Maharashtra. In such a situation, for the benefit of the state, it is very important to have low electricity rates and good electricity supply for industrial and commercial development.
To create a healthy economic system, uninterrupted supply of electricity is necessary and the increased electricity rates in Maharashtra should be reduced compared to other states and the state government should spend more than 27 thousand crores.
Bring Kusum Solar Yojana
Instead of spending huge money on installing prepaid meters, a separate scheme like Kusum Solar Yojana should be implemented for domestic traders and industrial electricity consumers in Maharashtra to encourage consumers to use non-conventional energy sources and that amount should now be used as a subsidy towards schemes like agricultural pumps.
Powerlooms backbone of local economy
Powerlooms are the main business and all other businesses are dependent on it. The powerloom business is directly related to power distribution system. Most of the citizens of Malegaon earn their livelihood by doing wage labour.
More than 70 percent of the citizens of this city are below the poverty line. Any change in the power distribution system has a direct impact on the powerloom business, affecting the economy of the entire city. Therefore, when the government of Maharashtra decides as regards policy in the matter of electricity, it should be in the broad public interest.
