KOCHI: Farmers who landed in a debt trap due to delayed payment of paddy procurement price are upset as the KSEB has started sending disconnection notices to beneficiaries of the free power scheme for agriculturists.
As per the scheme, Krishi Bhavans of the area pay electricity charges for power used by farmers for agriculture. However, sources said the agriculture department has not paid power charges for the past eight months prompting KSEB to send disconnection notices. A few farmers under KSEB’s Alakode electricity section in Kannur have received disconnection notices. Xavier, a farmer in Alakode, received a notice for non-payment of arrears to the tune of Rs 7,346.
Responding to the controversy, the office of Agriculture Minister P Prasad said he had proposed to call a meeting of top officials of the agriculture and electricity departments to sort out the issue. “Steps have been taken to ensure that power for the agriculture sector will not be disconnected. The department will take steps to pay the arrears immediately,” said an officer.
KSEB director (Distribution) P Surendra said the notice was served as part of the procedure and the list of defaulters was system generated.
“There is no need to panic. We will not disconnect power from the agriculture sector. The notices are generated to calculate and communicate pending arrears. It is for Krishi Bhavans to pay the bill for the agriculture sector. There are some areas where arrears have not been paid for the past three years. Our CMD has assured Krishi Bhavans that power will not be disconnected,” he said.