The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (Kodihalli Chandrashekhar faction) has planned a whole-night agitation next Thursday, demanding three-phase power round the clock for farmers' pumpsets.
Amin Pasha Diddigi, KRRS secretary of state committee, said that the farmers dependent on borewells for irrigation would camp outside the office of Deputy Commissioner, Raichur, in protest till their demand was satisfactorily addressed. Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, state president, would participate in the agitation, he added.
“The state government and its ministers have been expressing their commitment to provide quality electricity round-the-clock for farmers' pumpsets. However, in reality, three-phase power is supplied to rural areas for few hours a day. Improper and insufficient power supply coupled with frequent outages have worsened the condition of farmers who are already hit by natural consecutive droughts and fluctuating prices," Mr. Diddigi said.
He criticised Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company (Gescom), a State owned entity, for its indifference towards farmers. "Gescom officials take months to just replace the defunct transformers despite repeated requests by the farmers. How can the farmers' dependent on borewells manage without electricity for months? Some officials even demand bribes to perform their duties," he said and demanded the government to ensure that defunct transformers be replaced within 33 hours.
About the silt accumulated in Tungabhadra reservoir, Sugurayya R.S. Math, district president, demanded the government to dredge the reservoir so that full capacity could be utilised.
Farmers' Siddalingeshwara Patil, Rashid Gowdur, Venkatareddy Rajalabanda, Basavaraj Hanchinal and others were present.
