THE latest announcement of the Energy Ministry to launch a campaign against double electricity meters is yet another manifestation of the myopic approach of the policy and decision-makers as this anti-consumer move will burden the middle-class further and open a floodgate of corruption by those who are already accused of excessive malpractices.
The Power Division maintained that many households have installed multiple meters to keep consumption under 200 units per meter, unfairly benefiting from government relief aimed at low-income users.
This is not the first time that the Energy Ministry, instead of reforming the power sector, has devised a plan to maintain status quo as previously it prepared a highly controversial net-metering policy, which was not approved by the Prime Minister following severe backlash.
Before that the Ministry devised an utterly exploitative tariff formula under which consumers are fleeced through higher rates if they cross the threshold of 200 units even by a single unit, making them pay excessive rates for the next six months despite consuming less than two hundred units for the next five months.
Disconnection of the second meter is not the solution of the problems facing the power sector and the Government should better review the pricing and slab formula and instead of penalizing consumers for higher consumption they should be encouraged to consume more through lower rates (as consumption goes up).
What an irony that the Government has miserably failed for decades to root out Kunda system, a practice that goes on with full connivance of relevant officials, but has come out with a plan to harm interests of those using metered electricity.
The Ministry ought to shun anti-consumer posture and instead devise ways and means to facilitate them.
