AGARTALA, AUG 8: Senior CPI(M) leader and former Power Minister Manik Dey launched a scathing attack on the state government and the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL), characterizing the widespread installation of smart meters as a system of “gentlemanly extortion and bill manipulation” targeting common power consumers.
Addressing a press briefing, the veteran leader criticized the electricity department for levying steep additional costs, specifically calling out the imposition of various duty charges and fixed surcharges as outright extortion from ordinary citizens.
Key Allegations Raised by Manik Dey
- Smart Meter Discrepancies: Dey alleged that the smart metering project is engineered to inflate power bills artificially, creating severe financial strain on middle- and low-income households.
- Arbitrary Duty & Fixed Charges: He highlighted that under the guise of duty charges, fuel surcharges, and fixed fees, consumers are paying inflated bills far beyond their actual unit consumption.
- Push Towards Privatization: The former power minister warned that the mandatory push for smart meters is part of a broader roadmap to privatize Tripura’s power distribution sector and hand public utility assets to private corporations.
- Mismanagement in TSECL: Dey pointed out that instead of curbing transmission losses and recovering pending corporate dues, the state government is shifting its administrative failures onto the public.
The Left Front leadership demanded an immediate rollback of the hiked power tariffs, cancellation of additional duty charges, and a total halt to the smart meter rollout across Tripura.
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Former Power Minister Manik Dey terms smart meters a mechanism for extortion and bill manipulation! Demands immediate rollback of duty charges and tariff hikes. Read full report on Tripura24.in! #TripuraNews #ManikDey #SmartMeterProtest #AgartalaNews #Tripura24 #TSECL
