Farmers Announce Protests Over Power Cuts During Paddy Sowing
Farmers' unions in Jalandhar have scheduled a series of protests starting Monday, June 29, in response to persistent power cuts affecting farms during the critical paddy sowing season. The Bharti Kisan Union (BKU) Doaba, along with other farm groups, plans to block the Behram Toll Plaza and disrupt traffic on the Jalandhar-Phillaur GT Road. Additionally, BKU Ekta Sidhupur members will stage a dharna outside the office of the Chief Engineer of Powercom on the same day, followed by protests at Powercom XEN offices on Tuesday, June 30.
Power Cuts Threaten Paddy Crop, Farmers Say
According to Davinder Singh Sandhwan, vice-president of BKU Doaba, farmers have been receiving only two to three hours of electricity per day for the past five to six days, which is insufficient for irrigating paddy fields during the peak summer heat. He stated, "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." Sandhwan highlighted that farmers spend around Rs 15,000 per acre on sowing, and many fields are already drying up. The peak sowing season continues until July 15, and many farmers have postponed sowing due to the power cuts, risking heavy losses and reduced yields.
Protest Actions Planned Across Jalandhar
On Monday, BKU Doaba farmers will block the Behram Toll Plaza, while the Phillaur unit of BKU Doaba, in collaboration with BKU Qadian, will block the Jalandhar-Phillaur GT Road. 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." Meanwhile, BKU Ekta Sidhupur will gherao key Powercom offices in Jalandhar, including the Chief Engineer's office. Kulwinder Singh Machine of BKU Ekta Sidhupur noted, "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."
Farmers Demand Immediate Restoration of Power Supply
The farmers have urged the government to restore power supply on a priority basis, warning that continued cuts could lead to massive agricultural losses. Sandhwan 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?" The protests are set to escalate if the power situation does not improve, with further actions planned if demands are not met.
