TIRUCHY: Welcoming the initiative to identify defunct free electricity connections for agriculture, farmers have urged the government to ensure the process does not affect marginal farmers and their cultivation.
On Saturday, Agricultural Production Commissioner Selvi Apoorva directed agriculture and horticulture departments to identify defunct free electricity connections for agriculture and instructed officials to submit a block-wise report within 10 days.
Noting that many farmlands are being used for non-agricultural activities, she also instructed the departments to conduct a survey of abandoned wells and borewells with free electricity connection.
Hailing the move, Swamimalai S Vimalnathan, secretary of Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association, pointed out that free power connections are being misused by few farmers for commercial purposes.
“Those who have sold their land have not disconnected their power, leading to misuse. In some cases, farmers allow tankers to pump water using their borewells for households and hotels. Such illegal practices could be largely curtailed if the enumeration is conducted properly,” he said.
N Veerasekaran, state spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), said, “As the state government moves to identify defunct and misused borewells, many farmers are still waiting for their turn to receive free power connection. They have already paid the required deposit years ago but are yet to receive their connections, and are in need of help.”