PSPCL engineer flags risk of unrest amid power cuts
Long power cuts have deprived even officials of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) of a good night’s sleep. The Deputy Chief Engineer (Distribution) of the local circle has written to the Chief Engineer of the Border Zone in Amritsar, urging immediate steps to reduce outages and revise electricity supply timings for agriculture.
In the letter, the official detailed the hardships faced by farmers and residents due to prolonged power cuts. The issue was also shared by Deputy Chief Engineer Mohtam Singh with leaders of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC), who had approached him to protest the situation.
KMSC leaders informed the official that power supply in the area had remained suspended for six continuous hours the previous evening, and the outage was later extended by another two hours. The official conveyed to his senior that such conditions have triggered protests from both farmers and residents, adding that the possibility of violent reactions from agitated farmers cannot be ruled out.
He further recommended reducing and rescheduling the five-hour electricity supply currently allocated for agricultural use. At present, farmers receive power from 7.30 am to 12.30 pm; however, he suggested revising the schedule to 3 am to 8 am, which he believes would better suit their needs.
Citing ongoing pressure and threats from farmer groups over extended outages, the official urged higher authorities to take prompt action to ease the situation and ensure a more reliable power supply.
