BHOPAL: Nearly 2,500 residents of flood-hit Khiriya Sunwai village in Narwar Tehsil of Shivpuri district have gone without power supply and potable water for the last two months. They own around 6,000 acre of farmland around the village and their crops have shriveled owing to lack of power supply following recent floods in the Gwalior-Chambal region.
Hemant Rawat, a farmer, said paddy crop standing in field dried for want of irrigation. "The floods have been followed by hot and dry weather. Unless we are able to run our pumps, the crops would be ruined," he said. The women are forced to fetch water for cooking, bathing, washing clothes and cattle from one of the three public hand pumps in the village. Around 50% of the 250-odd homes have borewells fitted with motors but they have been rendered useless for want of power supply. Some of the residents are fetching water in tractor-trolleys and bullock carts.
"I go to the hand pump twice daily. Once around 5 in the morning and then in the evening," said Angoori Bai. The villagers are using tractor batteries to charge their mobiles. Students are facing a different set of problems. Jitendra, 23, who was living in Delhi to prepare for SSC and bank recruitment examinations, returned to the village two months back due to the Covid-19 scare. "I can't study after dark. My laptop and mobile get discharged every two hours," said.
When contacted, a junior engineer at Mangroni Vidyut Kendra, Pawan Kushwaha, said that power supply was disconnected as villagers had not paid Rs 15 lakh power dues and additional Rs 10 lakh as fine imposed on them for pilfering power. "The electricity supply infrastructure in the area has been damaged due to the floods. The repair work is underway and power lines would be restored soon," he said. He, however, did not say whether electricity supply would be restored to the village. "We will act as per instructions received from our superiors," he said. The villagers, however, allege that billed amount was inflated. "Bills have been issued in names of dead persons and of those who don't live here," said Rawat. He also said that they had deposited Rs 1.30 lakh against the dues. "The flood has ruined us. The remaining amount should be waived off by the government," the farmer said.
