Thanks to negligence on part of Bescom officials, who have failed to change the burnt transformers, the farmers are unable to irrigate their lands, alleged District Raitha Hitarakshana Samithi Secretary M Govindagowda.

In a press release issued here on Sunday, Govindagowda said, in Kolar, Kolar Gold Fields and Chikkaballapur divisions, in all,total 178 transformers were burnt till August 14.

And they have not been replaced so far. When the farmers submitted a memorandum in this regard to the Bescom officials, the farmers were informed that there was a shortage of transformers, hence, they were not replaced.

But, however, Govindagowda alleged that the Bescom had supplied 212 transformers to the Asian Fab company. They were stored in the godown belonging to the company, for the last three months, opposite to the sanitarium. Bescom was not worried about the farmers. It was worried about the welfare of the private parties, the leader salleged.

Voltage problem

He further said, the transformers installed in the rural areas often burnt due to voltage problem and irregular power supply. And within three days of the incident, the Bescom should make alternate arrangements. However, it has not bothered to take any measures despite one-and-a-half months time, he alleged.

The press note stated, as a result of the burnt transformers, the crops cultivated in Byalahalli and Holali villages of Kolar taluk were drying up due to lack of irrigational facitlies. Due to the burnt transformers, it was difficult to supply water through the irrigation pump sets which depended on power supply.

Strike

Instead of replacing the burnt transformers, it was giving excuses on the pretext of transformers’ scarcity, Govindaraj stated in the press note.

To make matters worse, the contractors who were implanting the works of Bescom, had gone on strike, owing to the fact that the Bescom had failed to meet their demands. Hence, even the available transformers will also not replaced, he said.
The Bescom officials should immediately get back the transformers which were handed over to a private company and solve the problems of the farmers in the rural areas, Govinda gowda added.