The government scheme of replacement of motors for agriculture pumpsets with full subsidy for small and marginal farmers and 50 per cent subsidy for big farmers, aimed at energy saving, said M.S.Shanmugham, Collector, here on Thursday.
Presiding over a meeting to discuss the scheme with farmers from eight districts and Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) officials from these districts, the Collector said most of the motors now used are not energy efficient. If their efficiency is improved, energy can be saved.
The Collector appealed to farmers to voluntarily disclose the condition of their motors such as horse power they are using for the motors.
TNEB engineers would make a survey and motors which are not energy efficient, would be replaced.
Muthukumar, a farmer from Pudukottai, said underground water level has gone down to 450 feet from 500 feet in his area. Farmers have been using motors with 10 to 15 horse power in Pudukottai district.
Instead of restricting the horse power to five HP for replacement, the government should replace motors with higher horse power .
There should not be any discrimination between small, marginal and big farmers while implementing the scheme, Sundara Vimalanathan from Swami Malai said. S.Ranganathan, Secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association, said he welcomed the scheme.
Power wastage, including theft which is currently at 20 to 23 per cent should be prevented thus resulting in energy saving.
Misuse and abuse of power in upper reaches like Jeddarpalayam should be controlled. Replacement of several lakhs of motors could not be done overnight. It would take a few years to complete the work.
The TNEB should take up the actual survey of ground reality of farm power and irrigation pattern in different regions. "Any work done in haste will result in waste. Hence the scheme should be implemented after taking considerable time" Ranganathan said. Seetharaman, Chief Engineer, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, Thangaraj, Superintending Engineer, TNEB, Thanjavur, Vijayakumar, Superintending Engineer, Research and Industrial Development, TNEB, farmers N.Sengamuthu from Ariyalur, Varadarajan from Tiruvarur and Ramasamy Chettiar from Perambalur district, spoke.
Farmers from Trichy, Karur and Nagapattinam, districts also participated .
