ELURU: Urban consumers seem feeling the heat of mounting demand for more power for agriculture. The Andhra Pradesh Transmission Corporation (AP Transco) appears to be yielding to the agitation launched by the farmers, demanding uninterrupted and quality power for agriculture. The Transco has resorted to imposing power cut in urban areas in two spells for the last three days in a desperate bid to meet the demand by farmers.

According to information, the power cut in the guise of `load relief' has been in force in all the seven municipal towns and the Eluru Municipal Corporation. The Transco imposed cuts in power supply on Saturday from 10.45 am to 11.45 am in one spell and from 3 pm to 5 pm in another spell.

Ryots' stir

There appears to be no let-up in the farmers' agitation all over the upland region, comprising nearly 20 out of 46 upland mandals in the district. Raiding of sub-stations and detaining of Transo officials by aggrieved farmers has become order of the day for some time. The protesters are demanding seven-hour supply a day without interruptions to save their standing crops. However, the top brass of Transco expressed their inability to meet the farmers' demand in view of a sharp decline in power generation, especially on the thermal front. What is piquing the farming community is supply of power in five spells daily.

According to official sources from the Transco, generation of power in all the three hydel plants at Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar and Sileru has almost come to a standstill for want of water in the reservoirs.

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