In a statement, Lone termed the cable policy a “shocker of a gift” for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, arguing that households were being required to pay extra when the cable supplied for smart meter installation was insufficient.
According to Lone, the company provides up to four metres of cable per household, with two metres each for the input and output connections. Any additional cable, he said, has to be purchased by the consumer.
“Otherwise the household will not get electricity connection. And will be disconnected from the grid,” he said.
Lone argued that the cost rises with the distance between a house and the nearest electric pole, as properties located farther away require more cable. He claimed that poor households had been forced to pay between ₹4,000 and ₹5,000 to get smart meters installed.
The Peoples Conference president also questioned the government’s promise of providing 200 units of free electricity, alleging that the commitment had not been fulfilled despite two years having passed.
“Two years have passed and not a single unit given free,” he said.
Taking aim at the government’s position on smart metering, Lone recalled that the issue had faced criticism and public opposition during the election campaign.
He said people who had voted for the government were now being asked to bear additional expenses for smart meter installation, calling the situation a “great joke” at the expense of voters.
