Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The consumers who get electricity supplied by Central Zone Power Distribution Company (central discom) are struggling to get new meters as the central discom seems to have run out of stock.
Retired Professor Tara Shukla, who has rented out her house in Gautam Nagar area to the students, said she had been trying to get her old meter replaced for past three months as she suspected its efficiency.
'I had applied for the replacement in February but there was no positive response. After repeated complaints, they sent someone with another old meter,' she said.
The old meters can be used to replace an installed meter only after getting tested from the authorised lab, which the company doesnít do.
ìWe were noticing irregular power bills and several discrepancies, which could only be stopped if a new meter is installed. Our electrician had explicitly said that a new one was required,î Shukla added.
The state capital requires at least 2,000 new electricity meters everyday for replacement, said a company official. However, 75% of the meters they install are old. This is because of the delay in purchase of new meters.
Central discom public relations officer Manoj Dwiwedi, however, said that the company had enough meters. Besides, the company has placed an order for new meters, which will arrive by April end.
There are 4.5 lakh consumers in the state capital. Out of these, more than 1,500 consumers demand for replacement of meters every month and 500 of them require new connections, he said.
The demand for new meters increases up to 5,000 in summer season. The number of complaints we receive also increases during the season and so does the number of people shifting to new houses. Thus there is increase in demand for three-phase and single-phase connections, he added.
