HYDERABAD: Farmers in the State are back on protest against improper supply of power to the farm sector.

They launched protests in many places, attacking sub-stations, destroying transformers and confining the distribution staff to rooms.

At Biknoor in Nizamabad district, the employees were released after seven hours following intervention of senior officials and political leaders. Similar incidents have also been reported from Karimnagar, Khammam, Medak, Nalgonda, Warangal, and Mahabubnagar districts.

According to a Grid Operation official, the protests are mostly in North Telangana region where the supply reportedly has fallen short of the stipulated seven hours or it is being made only during nights.

The Andhra Pradesh Northern Power Distribution Company in whose jurisdiction this region is located, is seriously handicapped as a ceiling has been imposed by Transco on all distribution companies on drawing of power.

On the other hand, demand has gone up in the North Telangana due to continuous operation of pumpsets.

Meanwhile, Energy Minister Mohd Ali Shabbir ruled out power supply for nine hours in Telangana as demanded by the TRS at Nalgonda on Friday.

The seven-hour supply, however, would be continued.

Karimnagar Staff Reporter adds: In Mallaram village, farmers attacked the sub-station, damaged furniture, disconnected telephone and manhandled the employees.

Case against farmers

The police registered cases against the farmers and some politicians involved.

Similar incidents were reported from Kathalapur, where a dharna was staged and the effigy of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy burned.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh Ryotu Sangham called for a State-wide dharna on December 28 in support of its demand for nine-hour power supply to the agriculture sector and doing away with unscheduled cuts.

K. Ramakrishna, former MLA and president, and R. Venkayya, general secretary, said erratic supply being made in the night claimed the lives of many farmers who died due to snakebites and attack by wild animals.

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