A 2017 news clipping detailing the allegations raised by Kota residents concerning smart meters shared as a recent one - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 22, 2023
A screenshot of a news clipping is being shared on social media claiming it is a recent news report detailing how smart meters have been found displaying higher meter readings in comparison to the normal electric meters. The news clipping shared in the post states that during a test conducted by a consumer on the same electrical line, a regular electric meter displayed a reading of 279 units, while the smart meter showed a reading of 429 units. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Screenshot of the latest news clipping reporting about smart meters running faster than normal electric meters.
Fact: The post shared a news clipping published by the Chambal Sandesh newspaper in 2017. In 2017, under Rajasthan’s BJP government, Kota residents alleged that smart meters from private power company CESC showed higher readings than standard electric meters. After a month-long protest in Rajasthan’s Kota City over smart meters, the CEO of CESC company clarified in a press conference that the misconceptions about smart meters showing higher readings than standard electric meters were untrue. He stated that the company would install the meters only after ensuring consumer satisfaction. The post did not share the latest news clipping about smart meters. Hence, the claim made in the post is Misleading.
When we searched for the news clipping using relevant keywords, we found that the news clipping was published by the Chambal Sandesh newspaper on 16 September 2017. The news article reported the allegations of inconsistencies concerning the smart meters set up by Kota Electric Distribution Limited (KEDL), a subsidiary of the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC), within residences in the Indravihar and other areas in Kota, Rajasthan.
The news clipping reported that a beauty parlour businessman, residing in the Indravihar area, had tested a smart meter and a normal meter on the same electric line for 10 days and found that the smart meter was showing 150 units more than the reading of the standard normal electric meters. The Patrika news site too published an article detailing the claims by Kota residents regarding the KEDL smart meters that were installed in their homes in 2017. The residents of Kota alleged that the smart meters installed by KEDL are running faster than the normal standard electric meters.
After a month-long protest over smart meters in Rajasthan’s Kota City, the CEO of CESC company held a press conference and asserted that the misconceptions about smart meters showing higher readings than standard electric meters were untrue. He stated that the company would install the meters only after ensuring consumer satisfaction. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the post shared a news clipping published in 2017 and does not show the latest news report on smart meters.
To sum it up, a 2017 news clipping detailing the allegations raised by Kota residents concerning smart meters is shared as a recent news report.