Free power for agriculture to continue

Chandigarh, July 21
Free power to farmers will continue in Punjab.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has dismissed the plea to set aside the policy of the state of Punjab with regard to providing free electricity to the farmers for agriculture.
The tribunal today announced its verdict on certain other related matters.
The petition before the tribunal was filed by the Safal Bharat Guru Parampara that has its branch office at Hoshiarpur.
The Parampara organisation had petitioned that due to extreme use of ground water and the state government’s failure to formulate stringent policies to check its exploitation, the water table in the state is subsiding. The petitioner had also urged for a ban on the growing of eucalyptus that was described as a “water-guzzling” tree.
In its order, the Principal Bench of the tribunal comprising Justice Dr P Jyothimani today allowed the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited to process the pending 1.2 lakh applications for electricity connections to tube-wells.
However, certain conditions have been laid down. The grant of tube-well connections shall be subject to the restrictions regarding the use of electricity. The state government would notify the restrictions including the number of hours to operate the tube-wells.
On the grant of power connection to the tube-well, no farmer in the state shall be permitted to use diesel generator sets for drawing underground water. In case, it is brought to the notice of the state government that a farmer is using a generator set, the authorities concerned shall impose a fine of Rs 5,000 per day for each diesel set used.
The tribunal has made it clear that farmers who don’t come under the gamut of the free electricity policy are free to use diesel or any other generator sets but after strictly following the norms laid down by the Central Pollution Control Board or the Punjab State Pollution Control Board.
The tribunal has ordered the state government to implement the provisions of the Punjab Preservation of the Sub-Soil Water Act-2009 and the notifications issued there under from time to time.
The order passed by the tribunal shall not only be applicable in case of new connections to be issued from among 1.25 lakh applicants, but also in respect of the existing tube-wells.
The state government has been directed to issue the necessary notification regarding the restriction of power supply to the tube-well mentioning timings etc in clear terms within a period of 30 days from the day of issuance of the order.
The government has also been directed to notify the critical, over-exploited and safe areas with regard to the ground water level and impose restrictions regarding the use of ground water for agriculture and other purposes within a period of 30 days from the date of the order.
The government has been asked to allow the growing of eucalyptus in the areas were water is abundant. The government has been directed to supply clean and uncontaminated drinking water to the people. The government has been told to take pro-active measures to encourage farmers for rain-water harvesting.