Agartala, July 16: In response to a recent incident of electricity meter tampering, the Tripura State Electricity Corporation has taken strict action and directed a full investigation, as instructed by the state’s Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath.
The minister stated that if anyone is found guilty of the crime, they will not be spared. He revealed that a total of 89,632 smart meters have been installed in the state from December 2024 to July 2025. During this period, 43,611 meters were installed in April, 58,048 in May, 73,593 in June, and 79,653 in July.
On Wednesday in Agartala, the minister announced that some individuals have raised allegations against the electricity corporation and smart meters. Consequently, a decision was made to initiate an investigation into the matter.
The minister mentioned that just a few days ago, a resident of Lalchhara in Khowai district, Ashok Kanti Das Roy, claimed that after the installation of a smart meter, he received an electricity bill of Rs 82,000 due to technical errors. Following the minister’s directive, an investigation was conducted the next day, revealing that despite the installation of a smart meter on June 25, the old meter was still functional. With the assistance of a meter reader, the customer had been providing inaccurate data for years. As a result, a bill of Rs 82,000 was generated after the installation of the smart meter.
The minister emphasized that it has become clear in this incident that the meter reader and the customer were colluding to commit a revenue loss conspiracy. Consequently, a show-cause notice has been issued against M/s TDS Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd., the agency responsible for meter readings, for breach of contract and negligence.
The individuals involved in this incident, including the meter reader and the customer, will face appropriate actions. The minister also expressed concerns that similar manipulations may be occurring elsewhere in the state, prompting a comprehensive investigation into smart meters.
The minister cautioned, “Those found guilty will not be spared.” Legal action will be taken against the culprits as per the law if necessary.
