Urges for suspension of meter shift order
The Citizens for Democracy Goa has pointed out that the Power Department’s mandate to the consumers to relocate electricity meters to the exterior of their premises is not only technologically redundant, but also raises serious concerns regarding the privacy of Citizens which The CFD has urged the Power department to immediately suspend the meter-shifting order and the threat of disconnections. The NGO has called for a public white paper addressing privacy concerns, the financial burden on residents, and the long-term plan for the existing workforce.
In a letter dashed to the Chief Electrical Engineer, Citizens for Democracy Convenor Elvis Gomes has said the department’s insistence on "Smart Meters" with remote chips has raised significant privacy and surveillance concerns and apprehension among the public regarding their privacy.
“Smart meters can track energy usage at 15-minute intervals. Technical experts warn that this data can be mined to "snoop" on the private lives of residents—identifying when a house is unoccupied, when residents sleep, and even which specific appliances are in use”, the NGO pointed out.
That’s not all. The NGO said there is no transparency regarding where this sensitive behavioural data will be stored, who has access to it, or if it will be sold to third-party marketing firms. “Under the Puttaswamy judgment, a nine judges' bench of the Supreme Court held that the right to privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21. The Department must provide a clear "Data Privacy Policy" before forcing these undesirable meters that will benefit a company as against thousands of consumers”, the CFD said.
Recently the Election Commission of India has itself, recently cited privacy concerns of ‘mothers, sisters' while speaking over polling data accessibility.
The NGO has suggested a Self-Reading App by allowing consumers to upload a photo of their meter via the Goa Electricity App. This solves "locked house" issues immediately with zero cost to the consumer and zero privacy risk, CFD said.
The NGO added: “Provide consumers with an "Opt-Out" clause for smart meters due to privacy concerns, allowing them to continue with manual or self-reported digital readings.
The letter is signed by Elvis Gomes, Pradeep Padgaonkar, Melwin Fernandes.
