Farmers object to laying of power lines

NASHIK: Farmers in Niphad and Dindori talukas led by Member of Parliament Harishchandra Chavan (BJP), on Monday registered their protest against laying of electricity transmission lines by Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) on their farms. The PGCIL, however, has decided to carry out a survey under the guidance of the district collector to find out a route that would affect the farms the least.
"The transmission line project has resulted in devastation of scores of farms in the two talukas of the district. The lines are passing above the orchards and the farms are being dug up randomly for construction of towers. Nobody is concerned about the farmers but about industries," Rahul Shinde leading the farmers said.
"The activity is being carried out for the past 1.5 years and this has forced me from not construction of grape-farm in my farms. What and how much is the government going to compensate me," questioned Raghunath Patil from Walkhed, Dindori taluka who claimed to be a marginal farmer.
When pointed out that the company was giving compensation to the farmers, Sonu Aher, Shirwadi village, Vani, said. "The compensation is too meagre at the time when the earning of the famers. They offer us Rs 10 lakh per acre where as we think it should be not less than Rs 20 lakh per acre," he said.
The farmers, during the meeting with the additional collector BH Palve, who is officiating collector, offered the company other routes to carry out their lines which would not only ensure that the line passes over the barren lands but also ensures that the farmers are ready to surrender the same.
"There are numbers of others areas from where the lines can be carried out and the farmers are ready to cooperate. In such case why is the PGCIL bent on carrying out the lines from these areas?" questioned Shinde.
RN Nayak, Chairman and Managing Director of PGCIL, said that it was impossible for the company to go back where it had already laid the transmission lines. "Instead we can only change the track of the lines in the areas where we are yet to raise the structure. In next ten days we will undertake a survey with the help of private agency under the guidelines of the collector of Nashik and find out the path that will least affect the farmers. Till that time there will be no activity on the field," Nayak said.
The transmission line project has resulted in devastation of scores of farms in the two talukas of the district. The lines are passing above the orchards and the farms are being dug up randomly for construction of towers. Nobody is concerned about the farmers but about industries.