CPIML Protests Against Prepaid Electricity Meters in Uttarakhand
As part of its "Oust BJP, Save Uttarakhand" campaign, CPIML Uttarakhand staged a protest outside the Sub-Divisional Officer’s (SDO) office of the Electricity Department in Lalkuan on November 6, 2024. The protesters opposed the installation of prepaid electricity meters, the rising electricity bills, and the ongoing moves towards privatisation of the Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL). They called on the state government to abandon the prepaid meter scheme and halt any privatisation attempts of UPCL. The protest program began with a tribute to the victims of the recent tragic accident in Marchula, Almora, along with wishes for the swift recovery of the injured.
Senior CPIML leader Comrade Bahadur Singh Jangi said the BJP-led state government is attempting to privatise UPCL by introducing prepaid meters, which he argued would increase hardships for the public, who already face high electricity tariffs. He noted that repeated tariff hikes had already strained household budgets, and the new prepaid meter scheme would only worsen the situation.
District Secretary Kailash Pandey highlighted that the prepaid meter policy could lead to significant price hikes and ultimately push the power sector towards privatisation, handing control to private conglomerates such as Adani. While people are suffering under skyrocketing prices and increasing unemployment, the Modi and BJP governments across the country are bothered about how to increase profit for Adani and other big corporates, who are close to the ruling regime.
Kailash Pandey said that the scheme would not only exploit consumers with higher bills but would also endanger the jobs of existing Electricity Department employees, with mass layoffs expected, particularly among contract workers, exacerbating the state’s growing unemployment crisis.
Following the protest, a memorandum listing the party's demands was submitted to the Chief Minister through the SDO. Three key demands were as follows:
1. The state should abandon the installation of prepaid electricity meters and maintain the traditional post-paid system.
2. Any attempts to privatise or outsource UPCL should be immediately halted.
3. Immediate steps should be taken to address the persistent low-voltage issues, and substantial increases in electricity bills should be prevented.
Earlier on October 25, 2024, CPIML initiated a month-long statewide campaign in Uttarakhand with the slogan, "Oust BJP - Save Uttarakhand." The campaign began with mass contact and leaflet distribution in Nainital district, led by senior CPIML leader Bahadur Singh Jangi.
The campaign against the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led government highlighted that the BJP regime has failed to improve Uttarakhand despite holding power for the majority of the state’s existence. The BJP government has turned Uttarakhand into an experimental ground for resource exploitation and communal division. The BJP’s “loot, lies, and divisive politics” endanger Uttarakhand’s future, which needs to be safeguarded by taking inspiration from historical Uttarakhand leaders like Chandra Singh Garhwali and Nagendra Saklani.
The campaign also drew attention to the crisis posed by stray cattle, which has disrupted farming and led to frequent road accidents. The government is exploiting cow protection laws for political gain. The "Remove BJP - Save Uttarakhand” also condemned the increasing violence against women in the state. Further, the campaign noted that Chief Minister Dhami’s rhetoric around “Love Jihad,” “Land Jihad,” and “Spit Jihad” as shameful and unconstitutional and these moves by BJP are to intensifying communal divisions rather than addressing real issues.
