According to a spokesman of the power department, "Installation of Chinese meter has been banned across the state. The details have been sought about orders of Chinese meters and equipment and also contracts of Chinese items awarded in the past one year."

 

The All India Power Engineers Federation president Shailendra Dubey has welcomed the decision.

 

"In power plants, boilers, tubes and other equipment are brought from China as they are cheap. But the fact is that the quality of Chinese equipment is not good," he said.

 

He said their association demands that equipment used in power plants be purchased from public sector company Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).

 

"It will also help achieve the objective of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India)," he added.

 

It has been quite some time since consumers have been complaining about the working of Chinese metres and even demanding their replacement.

 

P.K. Ghosh, a local said, "My electricity bills have gone up by almost 60 per cent even though our consumption level remains unchanged. In fact, after my son left for a job in Mumbai last year, my wife and I are only two members left in the family. Power consumption has gone down but the bills are going up with this Chinese meter."