Punjab: BKU Ugrahan protests against power crisis, raise slogans against state govt

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ugrahan staged a protest against long powercuts in Punjab as people have to bear the brunt due to unscheduled power cuts. The protestors warned that they would block roads and highways if the issue is not resolved at the earliest.

Amid the heatwave, Punjab has been witnessing frequent long powercuts owing to the outage of two more power-generating units. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ugrahan, Punjab's largest farmers' body, protested against the state government and electricity department as the people of Punjab are bearing the brunt due to unscheduled power cuts.

However, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), claims that there is no shortage and power cuts have been imposed to avoid fire incidents. The protestors claimed that several villages in Mansa district of Punjab are facing issues due to the non-availability of power supply in homes and tractors in the field, causing inconvenience to the farmers.

Expressing strong resentment against the PSPCL and the state government, members of the BKU Union staged a protest outside the Joga electricity department and raised slogans.

The protesting farmers said, "Farmers have been told to focus on the production of additional crops apart from the customary ones. But due to the non-availability of electricity at homes and in field tractors, it is difficult for us to grow corn and other crops. The government should focus on the relevant problems as we are fed up with the acute water crisis. The government should make sure that there is an uninterrupted supply of electricity and if our demands are not fulfilled, then we will block the streets and protest strongly against the government."

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For the unversed, Punjab has slipped into an acute electricity crisis due to outages at Talwandi Sabo and Ropar thermal plants. The PSPCL is resorting to unscheduled power cuts, particularly in rural areas.

In another worrying news, the state is also running out of coal as none of the five thermal plants have enough stocks as per provisions of the power purchase agreements. The matter has been taken up with the coal and power ministry to increase the coal supplies before the onset of paddy sowing season.