Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 10: Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, Taranjit Singh Tony (DDC Suchetgarh) has criticized the Government for its failure to provide regular power supply to farmers in the border area.
He said 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,” Tony maintained.
He criticized the Irrigation Department for its 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.
The shortage of water is causing delays in paddy sapling growth. He urged the Lieutenant Governor to personally address the concerns of the farming community.
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