Stung by corona and adverse weather, farmers in Madhya Pradesh have to face the wrath of discom officials as well. Officials of the electricity department have seized agricultural equipment of farmers including tractors and bikes in Sehore district. Similar incidents were reported in Raisen and Betul earlier.
The officials of the Madhya Kshetra Vidyut Vitran Company Limited reached Bijori village of Sehore district and started seizing equipment they could lay their hands on.
Officials said that the farmers had faulted in paying their electricity bills. One of them admitted that they had pressure from ‘above’ for realising revenues and improving financial health of the company.
Former agriculture minister Sachin Yadav criticized the state government’s approach in the matter. “Shivraj calls him kisan-putra and in his home district farmers are facing the wrath of the electricity department. First they send inflated bills and then seize farmer’s equipment,’ tweeted Yadav.
Earlier in Betul district TV, refrigerator and bikes of farmers were seized by the electricity company officials. Similar reports emerged later from Raisen district where tractors and bikes of farmers were taken away seized for not paying electricity bills.
The officials of the MKVVCL had seized a motorcycle and a tractor of farmers who faulted to pay on electricity bills in Udaipura tehsil of Raisen district. Sources from the MKVVCL said that the company is on a recovery spree to cover revenue losses of the company during the lockdown period.
Earlier, TV, refrigerator and bikes of farmers were seized by electricity officials in Amla block of Betul district. Some of the farmers had also alleged that there was no electricity connection in their village yet the officials seized their bikes.
