Nagpur: Farmers in Yavatmal face 10-hour power cut

YAVATMAL: The farmers in Western

Vidarbha

in general and

Yavatmal

in particular are forced to undergo undeclared acute load shedding of over 10 hours a day despite the tall claims of the energy minister.

According to Task Force chairman Kishor Tiwari, the state government in the last four years has introduced a number of welfare schemes such a Jalyukta Shivar, among others to substantiate the debt-ridden farmers of Western Vidarbha. Though these schemes have brought the rays of hope among the farmers, they are deprived of reaping the benefits due to the undeclared load shedding.

“The MSEDCL officials are indifferent towards the problems of the farmers and they have no proper planning,” Tiwari alleged and added that the officers are not replacing the defunct transformers.

The farmers are set to lose crops over 10,000 hectare land and they would suffer at least Rs2000 crore during the current season, he said.

“The officials of MSEDCL are hostile to the farmers despite the government’s assurance of 12 hours uninterrupted supply of electricity,” he said, adding that he has undertaken tours in village Vilayata in Ghatanji tehsil where electricity for agri pumps was snapped last one month. Similar is the case in other villages like Sadoba Savali, Pardi Naskari, Gopal Nagar Pardhi Beda etc of the tehsil.

“I tried to contact the MSEDCL officials, revenue officers, and even energy minister Chandrashekhar Bavankule and his junior Madan Yerawar but there is no sign of solution to the problems faced by the farmers,” Tiwari said.