NALGONDA: Farmers in several mandals across the erstwhile Nalgonda district staged protests on Friday against the unauthorised power cuts in their fields. A large number of ryots participated in the agitations held in Nakrekal, Nalgonda, Nagarjunasagar, Thipparthi and other mandals.
In Kadaparthi village of the Nakrekal Mandal, farmers staged a sit-in protest at the local substation, while in Nakrekal, they blocked the main road with a rally on Friday. They alleged that they have been facing electricity outages for four hours. Some of the protests turned violent, with clashes between the farmers and the police reported in various locations.
Farmers in Thipparthi village are complaining that they are only receiving three to four hours of electricity for agricultural use. With the Kharif season approaching, they are frustrated and concerned about managing the crops with these persistent power cuts.
Chandu, a farmer from Bugga thanda in Neredu Gomma Mandal, cultivates paddy on two acres of his land and grows groundnut on an additional four acres of leased land. The erratic power supply in the past week has left his crops on the brink of wilting.
Worried, the farmer attempted to take his own life by consuming pesticides at the Neredu Gomma substation on Thursday. He was discovered by the staff and was taken to a private clinic where he received medical attention. In response, the officials said the issue could be due to local technical difficulties.