Farmers protest to demand regular power supply

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 23

Amid hue and cry over the construction of SYL Canal and politicians issuing provocative statements, including that of Captain Amarinder Singh, farmers today staged a protest in front of the office of the senior engineer of the PSPCL over their demand for 10-hour regular power supply during the day.

Farmers also warned the PSPCL officials over rumours of removing of automatic starters that are used at motors to pump our water automatically when the electricity supply is resumed.

The farmers, under the leadership of BKU Sidhupur, today claimed that there had been a rumour being triggered by PSPCL officials themselves that the officials were removing automatic starters to create fear among farmers.

They claimed that there was nothing in the device that needed to be hidden.

They claimed that the government had failed to listen to their demands.

The farmers want that fines imposed by PSPCL officials on farmers should be waived off.

BKU Sidhupur senior vice-president Kaka Singh Kotda said, “We will gherao the officials of the PSPCL if they come to remove automatic supporters. The government has failed to disburse motor connections to farmers despite the fact that the farmers had paid the entire amount long time ago.”

“There are several farmers who need water to irrigate their fields but they don’t have any motor connection. In the tail-end villages where canal water is hardly available, the farmers are living a miserable life as they have to spend a lot on diesel to pump out ground water with help of tractors to irrigate their agricultural fields,” he added.