MARGAO
Former bureaucrat Elvis Gomes has warned that the government cannot use the Goa Human Rights Commission’s order to justify "forcible or coercive installation" of smart meters in the State. Reacting to the GHRC’s ruling that the rollout of smart electricity meters in Goa does not violate human rights, Gomes said the ruling had disappointed domestic consumers in the state. “Having taken suo motu cognisance, the Commission was expected to examine the issue objectively and hear all sides. Unfortunately, those of us who had raised serious concerns regarding the manner of implementation were not given an opportunity to intervene directly before the Commission. We were instead directed to place our submissions before the amicus curiae appointed in the matter,” Gomes said.
“The Commission appears to have travelled beyond the issue that was before it. Its jurisdiction was to determine whether the manner in which smart meters were being rolled out involved a violation of human rights. Having answered that question in the negative, the Commission ought to have stopped there. It was not called upon to grant an administrative or executive clearance for continuation of the rollout,” Gomes said.
GHRC says no rights violations in smart meter rollout in State
PANAJIIn a major relief to the State electricity department, Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) has recommended continuing to install smart meters across the State, ruling that the ongoing replacement of existing electricity meters does not amount to a violation of consumers’ human rights.In its inquiry report dated October 16, the Commission said smart meter installation was mandated under the statutory framework of the Electricity Act, 2003, and that there was no material…
