Punjab may compensate farmers for setting up power towers; policy soon

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said in the Assembly, here on Thursday, his government would soon come out with a policy on compensating farmers for the land used for setting up towers by the Punjab State Transmission Corporation (PSTCL).

But he ruled out compensation to farmers for land falling under the transmission lines, since a substantial chunk of 105 acres came under the power lines.

Singh also said the land under towers in the Bathinda district had not been acquired as there was no restriction on agricultural activities in the land located under towers and transmission lines. No such land would be acquired, he added.

Replying to a call attention notice by Baljinder Kaur and Jai Krishan Singh Rori towards installation of power poles in farms by PSTCL, the Chief Minister said farmers were being compensated for damage to crops as per the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885.