Farmers severely affected by unscheduled huge power cuts in border area: Tony
JAMMU: Taranjit Singh Tony, Chairman of AAP J&K for Administrative Engagement and Minority Affairs and DDC Suchetgarh has strongly criticized the government for its failure to provide regular power supply to farmers in the border area. The severe and unprecedented power cuts have inflicted immense hardship on farmers who rely on electricity for irrigating their fields.
In a statement issued here today, the senior AAP leader highlighted the detrimental impact of the prolonged power cuts, labeling them as the most significant in the history of Jammu and Kashmir.
Tony said that the entire border belt of RS Pura is currently grappling with massive unscheduled power cuts, which have plunged farmers into distress. These power cuts have revealed the hollowness of the government’s claims of doubling farmers’ income, particularly regarding the functioning of essential irrigation systems, he added.
The senior AAP leader said that the government’s claims of doubling farmers’ income have been laid bare, as tube wells and lift irrigation systems, essential for effective irrigation, require a steady supply of electricity. The absence of power supply leaves farmers in a dire situation, unable to adequately irrigate their fields. The repercussions are particularly grave for paddy crops, which demand continuous watering until harvesting, risking the depletion of the region’s rice bowl, he added.
“This dire situation poses a significant threat to agricultural productivity, with paddy fields requiring round-the-clock water supply until harvest. Without electricity, the prospects of the region’s rice production, considered the lifeline of the area, are jeopardized,” he added.
Tony criticized the Irrigation Department’s negligence in rectifying the malfunctioning tube wells and lift irrigation systems. He emphasized that the failure of the government to allocate repair costs for tube wells before the commencement of the paddy season is a significant letdown.
With the shortage of water causing delays in paddy sapling growth, Tony called upon the Lieutenant Governor to personally address the concerns of the farming community. Farmers, being the backbone of Indian culture and society, deserve the government’s undivided attention and support, he added.
