Farmers seek reduction in motor load extension charges

Ajay Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 15

Farmers in the region seem to be unhappy with Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) even after latter’s decision to allow farmers to extend their motor load for running tube wells. The farmers said the amount being levied by the PSPCL for extension of motor load was high.

In a recently issued circular, farmers in the state were allowed to increase their motor loads to ensure continued supply of water for irrigation. Before that, the load extension was not allowed and farmers, who were cultivating crops on lands, either taken on lease or owned by their forefathers, had to do it illegally. To curb the power theft, PSPCL officials had issued the circular.

The unsatisfied farmers claimed that the extra cost of Rs4,750 per Brake Horse Power (BHP) was unaffordable to them. “This plan will be of no use to medium and small-scale farmers as to increase the load of their submersible motors, they will also have to upgrade their motors and a new motor costs around Rs50,000,” stated Satnam Singh Sahni, general secretary, Doaba Kisan Union.

He said in Doaba region, a majority of the farmers were producing crops on a contract basis and most of the tenants were NRI’s. Therefore, it would be unsustainable for them to purchase new motors and bear the extra cost (of Rs4,750 per BHP). This would also increase the number of cases related to power theft during paddy season.

Referring to a similar notification issued more than a decade ago, he said the then government had kept the cost at Rs1,200. Hence, the present amount should be half of what the officials had then kept, that is, nearly Rs2,000.

Gurdev Singh, a farmer who owns around six acres, said, “The authorities should fix the surcharge in accordance with the number of acres being cultivated by farmers, as a small-scale farmer will not utilise as much power as consumed by any farmer with a sizeable production. At present, it’s already unmanageable for them to bear the cost of electricity and this extra cost will be an additional burden.”

Raising the issue of disruptions in power supply and damaged transformers, Sahni said the zonal PSPCL officials should also take an initiative in replacing the transformers, as after the installation of new submersible motors, high capacity transformers would be required.

Meanwhile, Zonal Chief Engineer Sanjeev Kumar said due to the decreasing level of ground water, the department had taken the decision that would help farmers in extracting sufficient amount of water.

He said Rs 4,750 was the minimal cost kept by the department and new transformers would be installed in every region where there was a possibility of farmers upgrading their motors.