Staff Reporter 

NAMSAI, Aug 28: A major fire incident at a shop in Lathao has sparked a heated controversy, with the blame revolving around the recently installed smart meter. The shopkeeper has alleged that the smart meter was the root cause of the fire that caused the spark in his shop on Thursday evening. However the shop attendant’s alertness averted a major incident by disconnecting the main power supply.
However, the private company responsible for installing the meter has denied the accusation, claiming that the blaze was triggered due to faulty internal wiring inside the shop, and not the device itself.
Alok Srivastav, Dy. Manager of M/s Anvil Energy, Kolkata, the firm behind the installation, allegedly blamed the fire on the shop’s wiring and clearly stated that there was “no fault of the smart meter.” He further informed that a technical team from the company will be visiting the site Friday morning to examine the incident in detail.
The company’s statement has failed to convince the shopkeeper, who strongly rejected the claim, holding the meter responsible for the destruction.
The incident has stirred fear among other shopkeepers and locals, many of whom are now questioning the safety of smart meters in the region. Authorities are yet to conduct an independent inquiry into the cause of the fire.
The clash of claims between the company and the shopkeeper has not only left the truth hanging but has also raised a serious debate on the reliability and safety of smart meters in Namsai District.

---

Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

<< Back to News List