Minister asks PSPCL to ensure no crop damage due to sparking

Taking serious note of fire incidents causing damage to standing wheat, Punjab power minister Rana Gurjeet Singh today issued orders to power utility PSPCL, asking it to ensure no further damage to crops due to the sparking in electric supply wires running over the fields.
The minister also issued orders to ensure strict monitoring of the wind velocity during the harvesting season between April 7 and May 7, during which most of the wheat harvesting is done, he said, according to a release.
Following reports of some fire incidents which led to burning of large areas of wheat crop across the state as also loss of one precious life, Singh asked the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) Chairman to set up a special monitoring cell using latest technology to forecast velocity of wind so that preventive and precautionary measures are taken and the power supply is stopped.

The minister disclosed that the PSPCL has been asked to use the remote sensing technology to gauge the velocity of the winds in advance as these damage the wires which lead to fire in the wheat fields.
"There will be round-the-clock monitoring and it will be ensured that there is no further damage to the crops," he said.
Earlier, the issue was brought to the notice of the minister by party leader and MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa who expressed concern over the raging fires in wheat fields.
"We are seized of the matter and are monitoring the situation at the highest level and all remedial measures are being taken," the minister assured Randhawa, while announcing that intense monitoring will start from next harvesting season.