Farmers protest as power lines laid on land ‘illegally’

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, November 28

Farmers today staged a protest against the “illegal” installation of 220 KV transmission lines in their fields between Patti and Jaisinghpur in Kangra district.

The lines have been installed by Himachal Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation Limited (HPPTCL) and Skipper. Villagers have been on the warpath for the past two months.

On the complaints of villagers, Kangra DC Rakesh Prajapati has constituted an inquiry committee headed by Additional District Magistrate MR Bhardwaj to look into the problems of those affected. Bhardwaj summoned the affected villagers and officials of the company to his office yesterday.

The representatives of farmers told the ADM that before installation of transmission lines, neither their consent was obtained by the company, nor their land was acquired legally.

“The company staff entered our fields with heavy machines and destroyed everything without our permission. Hundreds of trees were axed too,” one of the representatives said.

Rajneesh Sharma, an environmentalist who is also one of the complainants, appeared on behalf of the villagers and apprised the magistrate of the situation.

“Before laying transmission lines, the company didn’t follow the acquisition process and the government department concerned (police and revenue) didn’t bother to take cognizance of the illegal process opted by the company despite several complaints. Even the land where power lines are being installed was not demarcated,” he said.

He said the HPPTCL had not produced the route alignment map, tower location chart, total land needed and list of affected framers to the authorities so far and allowed installation of power lines in most illegal and haphazard manner in gross violation of guidelines laid by the Supreme Court and the power ministry.

After the public hearing, the ADM directed the company to produce all documents on December 18, the next date of hearing.