Power crisis: Farmers suggest way out
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 9
As prolonged power cuts in the domestic sector and inadequate power supply to the farm sector has started hitting the economy hard, the Bharti Kisan Union has urged the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) to provide power for eight hours to the farm sector at least on alternate days if it is not possible daily.

“At present, the power to agriculture sector is provided for two or three hours. That is proving costly to farmers as they had to engage the labour for the entire day when they just get the power three hours and that also on a staggered basis”, said Balbir Singh Rajewal, who have held a meeting in this regard with PSEB chairman YS Ratra.

“Ratra has asked the member (distribution) to do the needful in this connection and the publicity department of the board has also been told to announce the power supply schedule circle wise,” said Rajewal.

Farmers need the power supply most at this stage to protect their crops from cold weather. “Light irrigation of wheat and other crops is a must at this stage to save them from frost,” said a farmer. “This is also the recommendation of the Punjab Agriculture Department,” he added.

Potato growers have also been asking for a similar arrangement. “We don’t mind paying to the PSEB provided it ensured power supply for about eight hours daily,” said a spokesman for the Potato Growers Association.

“We cannot operate generators as the strike by officers of oil companies have hit the supply of diesel hard,” he said.

“They (SAD-BJP leaders) have been making claims to make Punjab power surplus after three years but they are unable to make arrangement even to provide adequate power supply to domestic sector,” said Tirath Ram, a local trader.