Erratic power supply spells trouble for paddy farmers

Lovleen Bains
Doraha, June 25

The newly transplanted paddy fields at Buani village have started drying up due to irregular power supply. Villagers have been suffering from the problem for long despite the feeder line working well from the substation.

The power supply crosses various spots before it finally reaches Buani village, which is at the tail end. “We fail to understand the huge gap between the tall promises of the government and the ground reality. The Buani feeder from which the power fails each time has been the most problematic throughout as days pass and power is not restored,” rue the villagers.

Surinder Singh, a resident of Buani village, complained, “No one is taking the responsibility of the lapse. From Buani feeder, the situation has been the same always and we have stopped expecting now. Farmers are bearing the brunt of irregular power supply. In early June, power was supplied to us for not over 5-7 hours and after June 10, it stopped completely. Supply was restored on June 16 after we raised our voice against PSPCL but unfortunately, that also laster for only two days.”

“We are at the receiving end of the problem. The power is being supplied for only a few hours daily as a matter of routine. The irregular supply has made us upset beyond imagination. Our newly- transplanted paddy crop has started drying. When the power ditches the farmers at the time when it is required as an emergent condition, what is going to be his ultimate fate?,” the farmers complain.

“It is the same story each day. The snapping of power is the most unpredictable thing in our village. As it gets snapped, we call at sub-division Doraha from where we get the same hackneyed response that the feeder is working from the station. Our second call is to the junior engineer who too replies the same, it shall be restored shortly. None is ready to check the gap between the two facts,” they further said.

Daljeet Singh, XEN, PSPCL, Doraha, said, “I have taken the report from the sub-divisional officer and the supply is ok. There must be some individual problem.”

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