Muslim women in Kashmir are protesting worried about the increased electricity bills due to smart electricity meters. Fear of financial crisis due to closure of free or subsidized electricity.
Kashmir Smart Electricity Meter Protest: Muslim women in Kashmir are protesting against the installation of new smart electricity meters. Many women in groups destroyed the new meters on the road. These women say that they will not pay the electricity bills of these meters. Internet users say that because for a long time they have been getting free or subsidized electricity, which has been paid for with your tax money. Now they have got used to it.
A large number of women participated in this protest in areas like Beerwah in the central part of Kashmir. They are demanding to stop the action of installing smart meters by the electricity department. Many women also said that there has been a huge increase in electricity bills in the last few months and smart meters will further increase their monthly costs, which will further impact them financially.
Local people are seeing this change as an economic burden. The introduction of smart meter system aims to measure electricity consumption authentically, increase transparency and reduce electricity theft. However, poor and low-income families are worried about how they will cope with rising electricity bills due to this change. Therefore, the women have demanded from the administration to stop this installation immediately and first understand their financial situation.
The protesters say they are not against development but require that electricity and other basic needs be handled and rescue measures be put in place for the economically weaker sections. On this matter, the government has said that smart meters will ensure fair and fair billing and improve power distribution. However, there is concern among the local population that the new technology will make the classic facilities expensive for them.