Rayalaseema farmers seek 9 hour power supply in two spells

VIJAYAWADA:  Even as the State government is pulling out all the stops to establish infrastructure to supply nine-hour uninterrupted free power to all agricultural connections in the daytime, the Energy Department is said to have received representations from the farmers of a few Rayalaseema districts requesting that they be given power in two spells. Sources said that the farmers asked for phased-supply of power as it is difficult for them to use borewells continuously due to low groundwater levels in their districts.

“Even though the government is keen on providing uninterrupted and qualitative nine-hour free power to all the agricultural connections and working on strengthening the infrastructure to facilitate the same, requests have been coming for the supply of power in spells. The farmers said that they will not be able to draw water from the ground continuously for more than three-four hours. So, even if it is not going to be in the daytime, the farmers sought supply in spells,” an official from the department explained. Sources said that the requests were mainly from Chittoor and Anantapur. “Farmers from some parts of Kurnool too came up with similar representations,” the official noted.

As on Sunday, water is available at an average of 16.99 metres below ground level across the four districts of Rayalaseema. Though the water table has marginally improved compared to the corresponding period last year, farmers claimed that it is difficult to tap groundwater continuously for nine hours.
For the record, the government launched the supply of  nine-hour uninterrupted power last year covering 60 per cent of feeders in the State. The Energy Department is spending Rs 1,500 crore to set up new substations, transmission lines and other infrastructure to cover the remaining feeders by May 31.