Maha agri taskforce chief pulls up firm for load-shedding

Farm activist Kishor Tiwari Saturday lashed out at state-run Maharashtra State Electricity Board's power distribution arm for "undeclared load-shedding" here which he claimed was causing immense loss to farmers.

Tiwari is the chairman of the Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavalamban Mission, a special taskforce set up by the state government to look into agricultural issues and curb farmers' suicides in 14 districts in Maharashtra.

Speaking to reporters, Tiwari said that power-cuts, which last for over 10 hours daily, were depriving farmers of benefits of state-run schemes like Jalyukt Shivar, a water conservation project that involves deepening and widening of streams, construction of cement and earthen stop dams and digging of farm ponds.

"The MSEDCL (Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited) officials are indifferent to the problems of farmers despite the state government's promise of uninterrupted electricity supply for 12 hours a day for agricultural purposes, Officials are not replacing defunct transformers for several weeks," Tiwari said.

He claimed farmers are set to lose crops over an area of 10,000 hectares and face monetary loss of up to Rs 2,000 crore due to load-shedding.

He was speaking here after touring villages in Ghatanji tehsil.

The power firm's officials could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.