PANAJI
The Goa Electricity Department officials continue to pressurize consumers to relocate their electricity meters from inaccessible indoor locations to outdoor spaces, but has so far stopped short of enforcing its threat of disconnection for non-compliance beyond the deadline which ended November 28.
Officials disclosed that of the 38,000 meters the department had identified across the State, only 12,000 have already been successfully shifted.
Notices were first issued in May, giving consumers six months to comply with the deadline.
Chief Electrical Engineer Stephen Fernandes had repeatedly cautioned in public notices that failure to comply would invite strict measures, including disconnection of supply.
Despite the warnings, authorities have not yet implemented the drastic step of cutting power to defaulters. Instead, they continue to exert pressure through repeated notices and reminders, urging consumers to relocate their meters to ensure accessibility for meter readers.
Department representatives explained that inaccessible meters pose significant challenges, with readers often encountering locked homes or meters placed at heights that make readings inaccurate. These difficulties have led to repeated delays and errors in billing, prompting the push for relocation.
Several businesses operating from ground-floor shops in Panaji and other towns who missed the deadline are now scrambling to shift their meters and miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) outside.
While the department insists the move is necessary for efficiency, business owners have voiced concerns about the risks of outdoor installations.
One restaurateur in Panaji expressed fears that his bar and restaurant business could suffer losses if outsiders tampered with the equipment.
“Mine is a ‘bar & restaurant’ business. I am shut on Sundays, so when I close on Saturday night, I will return only on Monday. What if someone switches off the MCB? All my perishables in the freezer worth thousands will rot,” he told The Goan.
Other consumers have questioned the logic of the department’s insistence on shifting meters at a time when the State has simultaneously launched a smart meter installation project.
