The Hindu : Farmers protest against BESCOM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 10, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Farmers protest against BESCOM

BANGALORE, JAN. 9. About 500 farmers from Rajanakunte and surrounding villages on the city outskirts forcibly entered the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company's (BESCOM's) sub-division office at Yelahanka on Friday in protest against the installation of energy meters on their irrigation pumpsets.

The farmers, led by Vishwanath, zilla panchayat member from Hessergatta, came to the office around 11 a.m. They said the energy meters installed by BESCOM for "energy audit" would be used later for billing. They said they could not pay electricity bills due to the drought situation, and demanded that 700 meters installed by the BESCOM be removed. They handed over 194 meters that had been installed by the BESCOM on irrigation pumpsets in their villages, and handed them over at the office.

The farmers raised slogans against the Government. They demanded 24-hour power supply and a separate power station for their villages. A memorandum was submitted to Basavaraju, Assistant Executive Engineer at BESCOM office.

When contacted by , BESCOM officials said that the energy meters installed in and around Rajankunte were meant only for ascertaining the power quantum of power consumed by pumpsets. They would not be used for billing.

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