The people of Sambalpur including a good number of organisations and the Sambalpur Bar Association in particular have sharply reacted to the decision of the State Government to instal prepaid electricity meter in Sambalpur and smart meter in Rourkela.

At the first phase, 4,500 pre-paid meters would be installed in the houses of the consumers to curb power theft, as declared by  Energy Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra. But immediately after the declaration by the Minister, there h0ave been sharp reactions and resentment everywhere in the district.

Many people have termed it to be an insult to the people of Sambalpur. “While industries and rich persons are swindling thousands of crores of rupees of the department all over the State, why the Government is targeting the common people who use a minor quantity of power,” asks Pt Amar Mishra, an elite citizen. “This is nothing but a step motherly attitude towards the people of Sambalpur,” he says.

There are people who say that since people of Sambalpur have not voted for BJD in the last election, the State Government is in a mood to take revenge on them by such activities. The social media is abuzz with postings venting ire against the Government. The members of the District Bar Association also held a Press meet on Wednesday to ventilate their anger on such an anti-people decision of the State Government and the Energy Department in particular. “We will not allow the Wesco to do so in our town first,” warned president of the Sambalpur District Bar Association Bijitendriya Pradhan.

“We have no objection for pre-paid or smart meters, but it should be begun from the State capital and then in other parts of the State,” suggests Prof SP Pati.