Farmer climbs electric tower for crop relief

A 50-year-old farmer has been sitting on a 200 feet-high electric tower for the last 24 hours in Rajasthan's Sikar district demanding a compensation of Rs 20 lakh for his crop damaged in recent unseasonal rain and hailstorm, police said today.
Gopal Choudhary climbed atop the National Power Grid Corporation tower on his farm at Dinapur, 10 kms from Sikar district headquarters, yesterday, Superintendent of Police Ravi told PTI.
Despite persistent appeals by the district and NPGC officials, he has refused to come down before the state government pays him Rs 20 lakh for crop damage, the SP said.
NPGC had already paid him Rs 75000 and have offered an additional Rs 1.85 lakh to persuade him to climb down but he is insisting on receiving Rs 20 lakh from the state government. Power grid officials were present at the spot with the cheque.

He climbed up the tower when NPGC engineers stopped power supply to it for maintenance yesterday. After it came to their notice that he was sitting atop, they have not restored supply yet, resulting in the locals having to go without electricity.