Farmers block highway in protest against power cuts in Jalandhar

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 2

Fed up with unscheduled power cuts in the state, farmers blocked the Jalandhar-Amritsar national highway for five hours here on Friday.

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The farmers gave an ultimatum to the state government that if proper power supply was not resumed by July 5, they would gherao Moti Mahal (the state CM’s residence) on July 6.

Members of the Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal) along with various farm organisations held a protest against power cuts in the state. They blocked the road for five hours holding a chakka jam.

Areas like Rama Mandi, Chugitti Chowk, Lamma Pind among others witnessed jams as the main highway was blocked by the farmers holding a protest under a tent. Traffic was diverted by the police through villages near the Club Cabana resort on the highway or from other link roads to avoid traffic bottlenecks. However, the busy intersection of Rama Mandi witnessed traffic bottlenecks until late in the evening.

While speaking on the occasion, district president of the BKU (Rajewal) Mandeep Singh Samra and key speaker Jathedar Kashmir Singh Jandiala said while the state government had promised an uninterrupted electricity supply of eight hours for the farm sector and 24 hours for residential areas, but none of these were fulfilled. The farmers blocked the national highway from 10 am to 3 pm in the scorching heat.

On the occasion, the Chief Engineer, Electricity Board, said they were holding meetings with the government and power supply would soon be resumed. They issued an ultimatum that if power supply was not resumed till July 5, they would gherao the Moti Mahal on July 6. Farmers raised slogans against the state government and said in villages not just power cuts but burnt transformers were a huge problem.

They said villages were waiting for the fixing of their burnt transformers.

On the occasion, secretary Avinder Singh Sansarpur, district youth president Amarjot Singh Jandiala, Tehsil Nakodar president Balvir Singh Sehem among others were present.

A delegation of members of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee also met PSPCL Chief Engineer Jainender Dania submitting a demand letter against unscheduled power cuts in the district. The delegation led by district president Salwinder Singh Jania and district general secretary Gurmail Singh Rehrwan met the official with the demand letter. Members also threatened that if power cuts did not end soon and 8-hour electricity to motors not restored then the organisation would hold a huge dharna on July 8. Shahkot general Secretary Jarnail Singh Rame, Rajinder Singh Nangal Ambian, Sandeep Kumar among others were also present.