No new tubewell connections in Khattar, Abhay’s segments

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 7

The areas represented by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Leader of the Opposition Abhay Chautala besides Gurgaon and Faridabad in the National Capital Region(NCR) fall in the ‘dark blocks’ where the Electricity Department has ‘banned’ the installation of tubewells for the agricultural purposes.

Karnal block, which is represented by Khattar and Ellenabad block in Sirsa district, Faridabad Municipal Corporation area(represented by Industries Minister Vipul Goel, Tohana block of Fatehabad district(represented by BJP chief Subhash Barala) and Gurgaon district are prominent areas where the release of power connection for farm sectors would be a thing of the past.

According to a circular dated February 1, 2017, issued by Chief Engineer(Commercial) of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran NIgam(DHBVN), the areas declared as ‘dark blocks’ included Ballabhgarh MC (Faridabad), Shahbad, Ladwa, Pehowa (Kurukshetra), Narnaul (Mahendragarh), Samalkha and Bapoli (Panipat), Khol (Rewari), Badhra (Bhiwani), Rania (Sirsa) and Guhla and Rajaund (Kaithal).

Earlier, the Haryana Government had issued demand notices to the farmers, who had applied for tubewell connections up to December 31, 2013.

“However, as per guidelines of the Central Ground Water Authority, a request for groundwater extraction in the notified areas through any energised means will not be granted for any purpose other than drinking water,” the circular asserted.

“It has been decided that no agriculture tubewell connection should be released in the notified area (dark blocks). In case an applicant under the general or tatkal scheme has deposited money for release of a tubewell connection in the notified area, the amount shall be refunded,” it added.