Amritsar: No power, villagers feel the heat

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 12

With a view to protecting wheat fields from burning, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has stopped supplying electricity to rural feeders during the daytime which is causing trouble to rural residents and their animals.

Residents of many villages say that for the last one week, they have been witnessing power cut of around 8 to 10 hours during the daytime. “Power cut during the daytime causes a lot of trouble. People need electricity for water, fans and refrigerators,” said Hardev Singh, a resident of Chogawan.

Rural residents say that for the past many years, PSPCL is adopting this method during the day. “The same method would be used till all wheat fields are harvested,” said another resident Joginder.

Dry wheat stubble is highly combustible and can catch fire from even a single spark. Every year many instances of burning of crop are reported across the state. Residents complain that old and faulty transmission system is the reason behind such accidents but instead of rectifying the root of the problem, the power corporation has found this easy but troublesome method.

Joginder Singh, a dairy farmer, said, “We need water for animals. We try to store as much as we can but still it is not sufficient.” He said power cuts during the daytime force them to clean the dairy premises and complete other chores at night. He said the electricity department should focus on upgrading its infrastructure instead of using such ad-hoc measures.

An official of the power corporation on condition of anonymity said, “Apart from sparks caused due to a short-circuit, the fields sometime catch fire due to sparks produced by friction of iron parts in agricultural machinery.” He said many times farmers approach them and ask them to stop power supply during the daytime. “Transmission lines need to be upgraded and higher-ups are aware of the situation,” he added.

AAP activists burn power bills against high tariff in punjab

The activists of Aam Aadmi Party burnt the copies of electricity bills at Lohgarh Chowk to protest against high electricity tariff in Punjab. Leading the protest, Ashok Talwar, joint secretary, AAP, Punjab, asked if Delhi, which does not have any electricity generation plant, can provide power at lowest price, then why can’t Punjab? Talwar said instead of providing any relief to consumers, the prices in the state were frequently increased. AAP has started a state-wide agitation on the issue of high electricity tariff, he said. “The government will be forced to reduce the prices of electricity, as it is burning holes in the pockets of common consumers,” he said. The party workers were exhorted to take the agitation to every village, every mohalla and every street. Raising slogans against the state government, AAP leaders said workers would go door to door to collect information about the electricity bills. They said this would connect party workers with the masses. Those present on the occasion included Vikramjit Vicky, Mandeep Monga, Vijay Thakur, Ajay Noel and others. — TNS