Kolhapur: MLC Satej Patil Criticizes Government Over Power Supply Failures
MLC Satej Patil, the leader of the opposition in the legislative council, on Monday criticized the state government over increasing load-shedding and erratic power supply that is affecting irrigation and farming. He questioned the lack of preparedness despite advance warnings of water scarcity. Patil stated that farmers and cooperative water societies in Kolhapur and Sangli are facing severe hardship due to reduced and unreliable electricity supply, even as restrictions on water lifting have been extended.
“In January, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that El Nino will have its effects on Maharashtra, and there will be water scarcity. Why couldn’t they have made a plan for electricity supply in the past four months? The government should have told people not to take up cultivation last year itself. The way the government started Ladki Bahin Yojana, now they should start Ladka Shetkari Yojana, so that we can stop farming,” said Patil.
He, along with farmers and cooperative water society members, met MSEDCL Executive Engineer Swapnil Katkar and submitted a memorandum of demands. Addressing reporters after the meeting, Patil said: “In Kolhapur and Sangli districts, a water-lifting ban has been imposed by the irrigation department. Earlier, it used to be for two to three days, and now it has been increased to four days. The MSEDCL officials are claiming that 2,000 MW of electricity generation has been reduced as water in the Koyna dam has been depleted. Was the government sleeping for the past four months?” he said.
Patil alleged that unplanned policies and failure to ensure mandated power supply are hitting farmers hard, with electricity hours falling short and supply remaining erratic. “They said they would give eight hours of electricity, but now it has dropped to six hours. No continuous electricity supply takes place. As per the law, they should increase the supply if there are disruptions in the power supply. This MSEDCL circle won an award for electricity dues recovery; now they will receive an award for no recovery of electricity dues. If a continuous power supply is not received, we will all have to make a decision to not pay our electricity dues,” added Patil.
Among the key demands submitted were 12 hours of uninterrupted power supply with adequate voltage, inclusion of cooperative water supply societies under the free electricity scheme for agricultural pumps up to 7.5 HP, and withdrawal of the mandatory installation of smart meters. Patil warned that if the demands are not met, farmers may stop paying electricity bills, leading to a crisis in revenue collection.
