Farmers protest for continuous 3-phase power across Thanjai

TIRUCHY: Farmers staged a protest demanding uninterrupted power supply at various spots across Thanjavur on Monday.

According to them, the short term summer crops, including groundnut, sesame, banana and blackgram have been cultivated in more than two lakh acres with the support of pumpsets. Since they use borewells, they need uninterrupted three-phase power supply.

Due to the prevalent unscheduled power cuts across the district, the farmers have to face severe loss as their motors sustain snags due to frequent power cuts.

The farmers said that they have been staging a series of protests demanding uninterrupted three-phase power supply. Whenever they protest, the officials who approach them for talks assure them of solving their problems, but the power cuts continue.

A group of farmers from Kumbakonam assembled at the executive engineer’s office of Tangedco and staged a protest demanding uninterrupted power supply. Similarly, a section of farmers staged a protest at Pandanallur sub station and condemned the frequent power cuts. They also raised slogans in support of their demand and asked the officials to solve their problems within a week otherwise, the protests would be intensified and the political parties and general public would also take part in the protest.

On information, the executive engineers Thiruvengadam and Kalaiyarasi held talks with the protesting farmers. They also assured to ensure 12 hour three-phase power supply. They said that as many as 10 transformers for Pandanallur region would soon be installed and the problems would be rectified, the officials added.