Farmers reel under prolonged power outage

Nizamabad: Farmers took to street in different localities to protest prolonged and unannounced load-shedding, but the agitation brought no significant relief to them as the power cut continued to hit their areas in Kharif season.

"Protests against power outages have become a routine, but actually to no avail," said farmers Raju & Muttanna.

Farmers in Mortad mandal are demanding 24 hours uninterrupted power supply. The farmers of Pocharam, Tanakalan and Dupalli, who besieged the Tanakalan sub-station, are demanding at least 16 hours of electricity per day.

On the other hand, electricity officials categorically said their wish could not be fulfilled due to shortage of coal reserves.

However, the power department officials took steps to improve the power supply to rural areas.

Electricity supply to agriculture in Nizamabad district has been increased to 11 hours from 9 hours before June 28.

There are one 1, 77,000 agricultural electricity connections in Nizamabad district.

Because of the Kharif season, there is a demand for 3.5 million units of electricity per day for agriculture, the electricity department supplies only 2.3 million units to agriculture sector which is not enough.

Due to the lack of power supply as per the demand, all the farmers turn on their electric motors at the same time and the load increases and the power supply is frequently interrupted.

Although the officials of the electricity department claimed that they had provided uninterrupted power for 9 hours till June 28, in fact, due to frequent load-shedding, electricity was not supplied to agriculture even for five hours.

The Nizamabad district requires power supply 9 MU per day for domestic, industrial and agricultural use in Nizamabad district but receives only 5.8 million units per day.

Due to deficit rainfall in the month of June, electricity consumption has increased to an unprecedented level.

The consumption of electricity has increased as the farmers who have sown seeds are dependent on bore well water.

SE R Ravinder, Northern Power Distribution Company, told The Hans India that the power supply has been improved since June 28. "We are supplying electricity from 5 am to 4 pm, giving utmost priority to agriculture," he said.

NPDCL officials are working with the intention of giving 13 hours of electricity to agriculture. That kind of step is going to be taken in the next three weeks. Farmers are now asking for 13 hours power supply till the Kharif season concludes. The farmers say that if it rains in the month of July and August, they will not need electricity.

The famers also demand quality power supply to the agriculture as their pump set motors often burn due to fluctuation and interruption in power supply.