Farmers in Telangana question 24-hour power supply claims amid electrocution deaths

Farmers and farm organisations questioned the State government’s claim of providing 24-hour power supply during a public hearing on TGSPDCL tariff proposals in Hyderabad. They also raised concern over recurring electrocution deaths in agricultural fields and delays in ex gratia payments

Hyderabad: Farmers and farmers’ organisations expressed displeasure over the State government’s claims of providing 24-hour power supply and voiced concern over the deaths of ryots due to electrocution in agricultural fields.

A public hearing on the TGSPDCL’s Aggregate Revenue Requirement (ARR) tariff proposals was conducted by the Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) here on Saturday. ERC Chairman Justice D Nagarjun, along with members C Srinivasa Rao and K Raghu, conducted the public hearing. Different stakeholders, including farmers, MSMEs, industrial units and others, shared their views. During the hearing, a few farmers found fault with the government’s claims of providing 24-hour power supply to the farming community.

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Many farmers complained that they were receiving hardly 13 to 14 hours of power supply a day. Farmers from Rangareddy said they were facing considerable inconvenience due to uncertainty in power supply. Many appealed to the electricity department to ensure sufficient and uninterrupted supply during the agricultural season.

Similarly, the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh expressed concern over farmers’ deaths in fields due to electrocution. Despite several deaths being reported, the government and TGSPDCL had failed to initiate measures to curb such incidents, Sangh representative Ramu said.

About 64 deaths were reported in Nalgonda, 39 in Suryapet and 27 in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri districts. About 130 deaths were reported in these districts and why such incidents were recurring there, he questioned.

Earlier, TGSPDCL stated that ex gratia had been extended to 382 farmers within its limits. Family members of the deceased were facing several difficulties while applying for and claiming the ex gratia. But why secrecy was being maintained over farmers’ deaths, Ramu asked, adding that many electricity department officials, especially field engineers, were behaving rudely with farmers and humiliating them.

N Chandra Reddy, a farmer from Kerelli in Vikarabad, and N Kanakaiah from Vishwanathpally in Siddipet had lost their lives due to electrocution. Family members of the deceased shared their difficulties in claiming ex gratia before the ERC.

Taking serious objection, ERC Chairman D Nagarjun directed officials to extend compensation immediately. Within hours, the two families were sanctioned ex gratia, officials said.