Power supply for agricultural pumps cut to 4 hours in Jayakwadi

  • | Friday | 25th January, 2019

“It is an arbitrary decision on the part of authorities to impose power cuts for agricultural pumps operating in Paithan, Gangapur and Vaijapur. The four-hour power cut will be in place till further orders,” he said.Jayakwadi major irrigation project is currently filled with only 18% live storage. Also, the MWRRA has standing instruction against the release of water from the dam for irrigation needs once the reservoir reaches dead storage. Even farmers lifting water in a legal manner will get affected,” he said.Jayakwadi major irrigation project, which is lifeline for parts of Marathwada , supplies water to Aurangabad, Jalna and Parbhani districts among other areas of the region. Aurangabad: Acting on the directives of the district administration, the state power utility has started cutting off power supply for agricultural pumps operating in backwaters of Jayakwadi dam for four hours.The measure, which aims at putting check on illegal lifting of water from Jayakwadi dam and its backwater, has been implemented in Paithan, Gangapur and Vaijapur sub-divisions of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Corporation Limited (MSEDCL).Sanjay Akude, MSEDCL superintendent engineer for Aurangabad rural, on Thursday said that agricultural pumps in three sub-divisions concerned used to get power supply for eight hours, which has further been reduced to half.“Agricultural pumps get power supply through special feeders, which will operate only for four hours in Paithan, Gangapur and Vaijapur sub-divisions.

Aurangabad: Acting on the directives of the district administration, the state power utility has started cutting off power supply for agricultural pumps operating in backwaters of Jayakwadi dam for four hours.The measure, which aims at putting check on illegal lifting of water from Jayakwadi dam and its backwater, has been implemented in Paithan, Gangapur and Vaijapur sub-divisions of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Corporation Limited (MSEDCL).Sanjay Akude, MSEDCL superintendent engineer for Aurangabad rural, on Thursday said that agricultural pumps in three sub-divisions concerned used to get power supply for eight hours, which has further been reduced to half.“Agricultural pumps get power supply through special feeders, which will operate only for four hours in Paithan, Gangapur and Vaijapur sub-divisions. The four-hour power cut will be in place till further orders,” he said.Jayakwadi major irrigation project is currently filled with only 18% live storage. The restriction on lifting of water has been ordered so that the stock lasts till next monsoon.Considering the deficient monsoon, the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA), in October, ordered the release of 8.99 thousand million cubic feet water into Jayakwadi dam from upstream dams located in Ahmednagar and Nashik districts.Notably, the issue of rampant illegal lifting of water from Jayakwadi dam was raised before Supreme Court by stakeholders from Ahmednagar and Nashik recently through petitions opposing the release of water in downstream areas from upstream areas.In a communiqué issued to media, the state water resource department (WRD) said it has rights to either curtail or cease water supply for irrigation needs in case of inadequate water supply.“Jayakwadi dam has lesser storage currently and it has to be utilised effectively till fresh water stock is available in order to avoid scarcity. Also, the MWRRA has standing instruction against the release of water from the dam for irrigation needs once the reservoir reaches dead storage. Therefore, it is imperative to put check on lifting of legal as well illegal water,” WRD authorities said, justifying four-hour power cuts for agricultural feeders.The restriction on power supply to agricultural pumps, however, has evoked sharp reactions from a section of local farmers, which fear that the rabi crop will be affected.Farmers’ leader Jayaji Suryawanshi said curb on lifting water was not in place during rabi season of 2016, where water scarcity was more severe than at present. “It is an arbitrary decision on the part of authorities to impose power cuts for agricultural pumps operating in Paithan, Gangapur and Vaijapur. A few rabi crops, including sugarcane , from these areas will be affected. Even farmers lifting water in a legal manner will get affected,” he said.Jayakwadi major irrigation project, which is lifeline for parts of Marathwada , supplies water to Aurangabad, Jalna and Parbhani districts among other areas of the region.

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