Stop installing meters at farm lands, demands OPS

Former Chief Minister and AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam on Tuesday urged Chief Minister M K Stalin to take steps under which the Centre government norm of installing electricity meters at agricultural lands are cancelled.

In a statement, the AIADMK leader recalled that the provision of free current for small farmers was introduced to Tamil Nadu by the AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran.

Subsequently, the free power scheme is continued till date. In 2004, the then DMK MLA EV Velu questioned the State government for installing electricity meters at agricultural lands and alleged the move as a future step to collect charges from the farmers. In her reply, then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said that the objective of installing meters was for data evaluation on power consumption by farmers. 

However, the DMK created a ruckus against the government, but now Stalin-led DMK government is silently installing electricity meters in all farmlands where the free current is provided.

DMK has a habit of changing its statements often exposing their double stand followed while being in opposition and contradicting the same as a ruling party. Under these circumstances, I urge Stalin to take action against the central norms directing the TNEB to install electricity meters.