Jodhpur farmers’ protest against electricity cuts moves to next step

A protest march by farmers in Jodhpur, Rajasthan asking for seven hours of uninterrupted electricity supply and power connections entered its fifth day on 21 August. Till now, there have been three rounds of talks between them and Discom officials on the electricity issues remaining inconclusive.
On 17 August, the farmers’ ‘mahapadav’ at the Jodhpur power distribution company’s (Discom) office commenced.
According to Bharatiya Kisan Sangh’s Rajasthan secretary Tulcha Ram Sinwar, apart from seven hours of uninterrupted power supply for agriculture and immediately issuing transformers to farmers who have deposited money for electricity connections, a demand for reserve stock of five transformers in every division to aid replacement of the burnt transformers has also been put forward.
Meanwhile, the demonstrators said their protest will continue as no action has been taken by officials on their demands. “There has to be visible results on the ground,” Sinwar added. However, the power distribution company Discom’s officials alleged that the farmers’ problems have been resolved.
On 19 August, Rajasthan Energy Minister Bhanwar Singh Bhati said that among the many Discoms in the state, the Jodhpur Discom looks after the largest power burden as Jodhpur is a desert district. He said, “Here the demand of farmers (for electricity) is more. But we have been striving hard to fulfil their demands in consultation with officials…The underground water table in this region has gone below 1,000 feet in many places. Therefore, to pump water out, more electricity is needed. The minister also urged farmers to cooperate with the state government.
Sinwar said the farmers’ demands have been passed on to officials several times in the past, but only false assurances were given. He claimed that no serious action has been taken. The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) official said, “So this time, we are determined that till we see action on the ground, we will continue our protest.” The protesters also claimed that more farmers will join the sit-in demonstration if there is no “visible development”.
Sinwar claimed that farmers have been suffering from power cuts and low-voltage, for several months now. He said that these power cuts have affected the irrigation of crops, which is resulting in low yields and drying-up of crops. Farmers have also accused the Jodhpur Discom’s officials of arbitrarily interpreting the conditions of the state government’s announcement of 2,000 units of free-of-cost electricity to them.