HYDERABAD: Unofficial power cuts are adding to the woes of the already aggrieved farmers across the state. Desperate to save standing crops, they are demanding uninterrupted three phase power supply in the daytime.
Reportedly, Telangana discoms, unable to supply power as per the requirements, have imposed power cuts in various districts. The infuriated farmers staged protests across villages demanding restoration of 24x7 power supply to the farming sector as assured by the state government.
In view of 24x7 power supply and ensuring a minimum support price for paddy, the farmers cultivated paddy on a large scale in contrast to the earlier practice of cultivating irrigated dry (ID) crops during yasangi (rabi) season. Those from north Telangana districts opted for paddy under command areas of irrigation projects, water tanks and other areas while depending on submersible pump sets.
Power demand in Telangana state reached 14155 MWs on Friday while it was 11655 MWs on the same day last year. Under the purview of TSSPDCL power consumption jumped from 6696 MW to 8754 MW during the same period. TSNPDCL registered 4594 MW on Friday as compared to last year’s 3566 MW. TSSPDCL and TSNPDCL witnessed 30 and 29 per cent increase in demand.
Unable to meet the demand, field-level electricity officials took emergency load shedding (ELR) of power cuts. This was also to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the domestic sector. As a result, farmers are facing difficulties, particularly because paddy, maize and other crops dried up due to inadequate supply of water.
Friday Thursday Last Year
TSSPDCL 8,754MW 8,263MW 6,696MW
TSNPDCL 4,
State
