PANJIM, June 14 -- A day after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that the controversial smart meter rollout would be put on hold, protests continued across Goa on Saturday, signalling that public anger over electricity-related issues extends far beyond the installation of the devices themselves.

From Panjim to Bandora, activists and opposition parties remained on the streets, demanding relief from inflated electricity bills, withdrawal of penalties imposed on consumers, and a complete scrapping of the smart meter project. The continuing agitation has also exposed growing political discomfort within the ruling establishment, with the controversy trigger-ing criticism not only from the Opposition but also from within the government's ...