Protests bureaucratic indifference, administration’s inaction in dealing power outage across region
JK News Today
R S PURA: Aam Aadmi Party, J&K, on Friday staged a strong protest outside SDM Office against traumatic power cuts of over 12 hours in the farming belts of Jammu region especially along the border with Pakistan.
Dozens of Panchs, Sarpanchs, farmers and general public of border town RS Pura headed by Taranjit Singh Tony, Chairman of AAP J&K for Administrative Engagement and Minority Affairs and DDC Suchetgarh took out a protest rally in RS Pura town. The procession culminated at the office of SDM RS Pura.
Addressing a mammoth gathering of protesting farmers, Tony said that the entire border belt in R S Pura Sector is reeling under dry spell as there is a draught like situation but the local administration is carefree with bureaucrats least bothered to provide uninterrupted power supply to help farmers to cope up with situation and fulfill their irrigation needs.
He urged Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene and resolve the severe power crisis being confronted by the farmers of the region as LG’s administration has failed drastically in dealing with power outage. He also highlighted the issue of defunct irrigation canal, tubewells and lift irrigation systems as those responsible for the same are unconcerned and drawing their salaries with any break with concern shown towards the farmer community which is facing the heat during the sweltering summer season as sowing season of paddy is on cards but water dearth is playing the spoilsport.
The DDC Member said that 12 hours long unscheduled power cuts are acting as death traps for farmers. He said that LG’s administration should take a cue from AAP governments in Delhi and Punjab, which are providing free electricity and water to people especially the farmers, which should be the case in J&K also.
“Instead of providing relief to already suffering farmers, the BJP Government at Centre is hell bent to ruin the lives of farmers as already the prices of seeds and fertilizers have increased manifold times since 2014 and inflation has also taken toll of poor farmers, and if the government will not intervene the people in the UT will remain with no option but to lead life with empty stomach as starvation is foreseen by those facing the bad times,” he said.
Tony said that people have high hopes from HM Shah and therefore he should take initiative in the matter and alleviate hardships of the people especially farmers.
After interaction with local Tehsildar RS Pura Subuh Ahmad Shad, SHO RS Pura Pawan Dogra, AEE PDD Manjit Singh assured the senior AAP leader that there will be no unscheduled power cuts in future in the border town and all the damaged transformers will either be repaired or replaced as soon as possible.
Tony also appealed to the farmers to regularize their power connections sooner than later to overcome the crisis.
District President Sham Lal Bhagat, Sarpanch Rashpal Singh Gill, Rajesh Khanna, Sarpanch Akshay Choudhary, Sarpanch Sarab jit Singh, Sarpanch Shashi Bhagat, Sarpanch Tilak Raj Bhagat, Sarpanch Roshan Lal Bhagat and Mandeep Singh were also present.
Meanwhile, Tony has warned the administration of intensifying the agitation from Kathua to Jammu by blocking the NH-44 in case the government fails to address the grievances of farmers.
