Mohali: Protesting prolonged power outages during the paddy cultivation season, farmers and residents from several villages in Derabassi Monday blocked the Mubarakpur-Sundran road outside the Mubarakpur electricity grid, alleging that erratic supply was affecting irrigation and leaving paddy fields dry.The protest, held despite intermittent rain, led to long traffic jams as demonstrators sat on the road and halted vehicular movement. Protesters raised slogans against the Punjab govt and the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), claiming they had been receiving inadequate power for agricultural tubewells for several days.Farmers said repeated complaints to the power department had failed to resolve the issue. Karnail Singh, a farmer, alleged that many growers were being forced to use diesel-powered pumps to save their crop, spending nearly Rs 25,000 per acre on irrigation.Another farmer, Sita Ram, claimed that repeated representations to officials had gone unheard, leaving them with no option but to resort to agitation. Rattan Singh said rising cultivation costs and additional spending on diesel had further increased the financial burden on farmers.The protesters demanded uninterrupted power supply for agricultural tubewells and warned of intensifying their agitation if the problem persisted.However, Zirakpur-Derabassi division superintending engineer Amandeep Singh denied the allegations. “We have not received any complaints regarding power cuts. Otherwise, power supply is regular. The protest is politically motivated to defame the department and create unnecessary sensation,” he said.Police personnel reached the spot and held talks with the protesters, assuring them that their grievances would be conveyed to the authorities. Traffic remained disrupted for a considerable period before normal movement was gradually restored. Farmers maintained that they would continue their protest if power supply did not improve during the ongoing paddy season.
