Uninterrupted 8-hour power supply still eludes farmers in Amritsar

Even as the paddy transplantation season has already started, farmers are unable to get the assured eight-hour uninterrupted power supply for running tubewells. They have complained that power supply is disrupted after short intervals as transmission lines continue to develop snags.

The government had assured eight-hour power supply and the schedule of the same is forwarded to farmers every day. “In most cases, the department fails to initiate the supply as per its schedule sent to farmers. In case it is restored, the faults in the transmission lines force disruptions in power supply,” said a farmer Joginder Singh.

While the frequency and number of technical snags in transmission lines during summers increases manifold due to heat, the shortage of manpower with power corporation causes delay in rectifying these faults.

In many areas, the farmers are forced to hire services of private mechanics whom they pay from their pockets to get the problem rectified as they direly need to run their tubewells. “The power corporation employees often fail to reach the place which forces people to look to private mechanics,” said another farmer Mandeep Singh.

While the canal irrigation department has released water, many farmers are solely dependent on tubewells as they have not used canal water for decades. The farmers stated that the reason for them not getting canal water is encroachments on land meant for channels supplying water.

The farmers demanded that they should be given eight hour uninterrupted power supply preferably during the day time so that they can manage the water and ensure that it does not get wasted. “The corporation is required to repair its transmission system well before the start of summer season. However, it is seldom done and then public have to suffer,” said another resident Balram Kumar.