With incessant power cuts across farms amid oppressive heat during the paddy sowing season, farmers’ unions have planned a series of protests in the region on Monday.
Farmers belonging to the Bharti Kisan Union (BKU) Doaba plan to block the Behram Toll Plaza along with members of other farm unions, while the BKU Doaba’s Phillaur unit, in association with BKU Qadian, will block traffic on the Jalandhar-Phillaur GT Road.
Members of BKU Ekta Sidhupur will stage dharnas outside the office of the Chief Engineer of Powercom on Monday, June 29.
The Monday action will be followed by protests outside the offices of Powercom XENs on Tuesday, June 30.
The prolonged power cuts on farms during the paddy sowing season, at the peak of summer when the crop desperately needs water, have triggered the latest round of protests.
Irate farmers said that if power supply to their fields is not restored on a priority basis, it could result in massive losses.
Davinder Singh Sandhwan, vice-president of BKU Doaba, said, “For the past five to six days, field motors have been getting power for only two to three hours a day, which is not enough for the crop. During this critical period, the crop needs to remain submerged in water throughout the day, but the supply is currently inadequate. A farmer spends around Rs 15,000 per acre on sowing, and in many fields, the crop is already drying up. The peak sowing season continues until July 15. Many farmers have postponed sowing due to the power cuts. If sowing is delayed further, farmers will suffer heavy losses as it will affect yields. This is a huge crisis.”
He added, “We carried out sowing as per the government’s instructions. The government was fully aware that this was the peak sowing season. Why were adequate arrangements not made accordingly?”
Farmers of BKU Doaba will block the Behram Toll Plaza on Monday in protest against the power cuts.
Balwinder Singh Sabi, a BKU Doaba leader from Phillaur, said, “We will block the Phillaur-Jalandhar highway against the power cuts along with BKU Qadian. Despite claims of adequate water supply reaching tail-end areas, fields are running dry. If this continues, farmers in the state will face monumental losses.”
Kulwinder Singh Machine of BKU Ekta Sidhupur said, “Our union will gherao key Powercom offices in Jalandhar, including the Chief Engineer’s office, on Monday. The power cuts are delaying paddy sowing, and we have already waited too long. Any further delay could severely damage the crop. The government must address the crisis immediately to prevent huge losses to farmers.”
