Editor,
After reading the news reports on smart meters and the subsequent comments shared by many readers about the smart meter, I would like to share my views, as I have tried to learn what other power distribution utilities are doing regarding the implementation of smart meters; who the vendors are and their qualifications.
During my search, I found that the Tripura Power Distribution Company decided to implement the smart meter project on DBFOOT Model – the same model which Ministry of Power, Government of India released, in which Discoms don’t have to take loan or invest money upfront and the project area was also 1 sub-division only. Similarly, Assam has already executed multiple tenders, with first order being around 15,000 households in 1 sub-division and that too as per central government guidelines. A similar pattern was seen in Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states. It is surprising to note that when power companies with a much higher revenue and rating than Meghalaya Power, choose the central government model and are eligible for grants, Meghalaya on the other hand is going in the opposite direction and using public money for this work, which could have been used in other social projects such as health infrastructure and other basic needs of the people of Meghalaya.
Surprisingly, I didn’t find any other state power company giving orders to these vendors who are working in Meghalaya, not even for normal meters. So who selected them and how they qualified is a big question. Another surprise factor in this project, which is a unique case in India especially in the power sector, when our country is facing cyber security threats and serious discussions are going on about grid security, Meghalaya is procuring Chinese smart meters. As per information available in the public domain, other discoms where work was started and meters were procured to the tune of several lakh rupees also cancelled the orders of smart meters from Chinese vendors. Why is this not happening in Meghalaya. Above all, why has the present Power Minister i also changed his stance in few months. Also, no other political party is raking up these real issues but nit-picking on inconsequential issues. Why are political parties avoiding this issue? Do they have anything to gain?
Recently, we heard in the news about the cyber attack on the Prime Minister’s twitter account, which is considered to be very safe. If tomorrow because of Chinese meters, anyone hacks our grid and attacks the transmission network of POWER GRID and the Power station of NTPC, it will lead to blackout in India and will impact hugely on the economy. Then who will be responsible for that?. This is a serious concern of national security as correctly pointed out by the previous Chief Secretary, as published in your daily.
We wait and watch to see what our Government has to say on this?
Yours etc.,
P. Nongrum
Power Electrical Engineer
Shillong
Privacy at stake
Editor,
The electoral reforms bill was passed by a voice vote in the Rajya Sabha amid vociferous protests by the opposition. This bill entails that the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) be linked with Aadhar Card which contains sensitive personal information like biometrics.
While the constitution ensures privacy as a fundamental right, the government at the centre, with its callous and authoritative disposition as can be seen axiomatically from the recent legislations, brought a law which impinges upon the very fundamental privacy right. Not only does it break privacy but it will also make it difficult for those without Aadhar to vote in elections, denying another very basic right. As it is a matter of Constitutional infringement will there be judicial activism in this case? Will the Supreme Court judgement in Puttaswamy Case, which protects the privacy right under certain constitutional provisions, prevail over the new electoral reform law? It is left to the moral conscience of the law makers and the wisdom of the SC judges.
Yours etc.,
Kevin M Shangpliang
Via email
A cause of serious concern
Editor,
Apropos the letter, ‘Murdering Tradition’ by name withheld (ST Dec 21, 2021) it is really painful to read of the events unfolding in Jaiaw. More painful however is that the writer dared not reveal his name, which if one reads between the lines, could well grasp the reasons. It is unfortunate to see the public apathy of that locality. I too saw the sad event on social media and was equally shocked at what our custodians of peace and harmony were doing. As of now there appears that not much can be done as it took almost a week for a voice to cry in the newspaper. Why were the judicious elders, who tried to restore the once upon a time social harmony abandoned by the remaining elders of the locality as big as Jaiaw,is a pertinent question that needs be asked.
That our doctors from CMC Vellore who have helped cure our poor patients who due to financial constraints could not personally travel to Vellore for treatment, were harassed and only the few handful of elders worried about the sad happenings and dared to correct the rot, seems like the disease is now too deep-rooted to be cured. The perpetrators of such acts of violence had better be informed that, be they doctors or any ordinary non- Khasi in Meghalaya do not belong to the tit for tat group in their own state. If that were so, do we ever dispassionately ponder at the fate of the thousands of our brethren in offices or schools or colleges in the different parts of this vast country?
Let us hope that this racial hatred will die a natural death if all right thinking citizens of this land once glorified as ‘ Ka ri tip briew tip Blei’ (The land that respects humans and is God fearing) stand together and what our land was once upon a time known will once again bear that glorified name.
And one factor not to be brushed aside is the politicking practised by our politicians. Let the racial tone in electioneering not be deployed for goodness sakes and concentrate on the manifesto that would make Meghalaya the best of the best, be it in Education (today at its lowest ebb)Agriculture ( left forlorn),Social Harmony, road safety, clean water to drink and last but not least the solution to this problem of traffic snarls that had turned the clock to one century back.
Yours etc.,
F. Lyngdoh
Via email