Power pangs: Farmers block roads in Bathinda, Mansa

Tribune News Service

Bathinda/Mansa, April 29

Irked over long power cuts in scorching heat, farmers protested in Bathinda and Mansa districts against the state government, demanding uninterrupted supply to the agricultural sector.

Take over pvt plants

Power supply has been interrupted when it is needed the most. The state government must impose penalties on thermal plants. If this cannot be done, it should take plants under its control. Ram Singh Bhaini Bagha, BKU leader

The BKU (Sidhupur) blocked the Bathinda-Amritsar NH and Bathinda-Malout road at Kanhaiya chowk in Bathinda, and Bathinda-Zirakpur NH at Rampura Phul. The Bathinda-Mansa road at Maur and one in Talwandi Sabo were also blocked.

The farmers demanded uninterrupted supply for 10 hours for the agriculture sector and 24 hours for households.

BKU (Sidhupur) senior vice-president Kaka Singh Kotra, district president Baldev Singh Sandoha and general secretary Resham Singh Yatri said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had promised 24-hour power supply in the run-up to the Assembly elections. In saddle, the government had reneged on its promise by imposing 14-hour-long cuts, they said.

The BKU (Sidhupur) leaders further said outages had two immediate effects — one, cotton sowing has been delayed and, two, maize and cotton crops have started drying up.

“Last year, the pink bollworm pest attack had destroyed cotton crop. This time, wheat yield has dipped. And given the situation, cotton yield might also fall because sowing has been delayed,” said Kaka Singh Kotra.

He further said, “The Punjab Government should have made arrangements for power in advance.”

Commuters, meanwhile, faced inconvenience because of the road blockades. School vans and office-goers were stuck in traffic logjam. Farmers, however, allowed school vans to cross, but others had to take alternative routes.

In Mansa, activists of the BKU (Sidhupur) and BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) protested outside the office of the Executive Engineer (XEN), PSPCL. Mohinder Singh of the BKU (Sidhupur) said crops were drying up for the want of water.

Ram Singh Bhaini Bagha of the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) claimed supply to tubewells in Mansa district had been cut off for a week.

“After a gap of four to five days, electricity supply is restored and that too for an hour to two. Supply to residential areas has also been erratic for the past few weeks,” he said, adding governments of the day shutdown state-run thermal plants, making the state dependent on private players now.

The protest was called off when the XEN assured farmers of uninterrupted power supply.

Sit-in at 2 Muktsar highways

• Farmers of the BKU (Sidhupur) on Friday blocked the Muktsar-Ferozepur and Muktsar-Bathinda roads by lodging protests at Lubanianwali and Bhullar villages of the district, respectively
• Farmers are facing power cuts for eight to 10 hours. The state government has failed to provide electricity for tubewells too,” said Hardyal Singh, a farmer
• The blockade was lifted after the state government reportedly gave an assurance to the BKU leadership that eight-hour uninterrupted supply would be ensured to fields from Saturday. TNS

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