In the midst of protests, the KPDCL has said that there is no alternative to smart metres

On Thursday, the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) said that there was no other option than the installation of smart metres and that the metres would be deployed across the whole state of Kashmir.
This comment comes at a time when customers all around the country are demonstrating against the installation of smart metres in their neighbourhoods.
Javed Yousuf Dar, Chief Engineer of KPDCL, said that the present initiative of installing smart metres in Srinagar and other areas of Kashmir would not go in vain. He said that smart metres needed to be put not just into the future but also into the present.
“As you are aware, there have been demonstrations in the past; however, as a result of those demonstrations, nothing significant has come about, and in the end, the smart metres have been installed,” he stated.
“There is no difference between smart metres and regular metres, except for one additional feature: providing consumers with automatic readings on their mobile phones or other smart devices,” he continued when addressing the capabilities of smart metres. “When it comes to smart metres, there is no difference between regular metres and smart metres,” he said.
During the course of answering concerns over flat prices in the downtown area, he provided the following clarification: “There is no such thing, and just like in other places, smart metres will also be installed in the downtown area as well as across Kashmir.” (KNO)