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Farmers fall prey to graft in Discoms
Notwithstanding repeated warnings from Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao that corruption would not be tolerated in administration, nothing moves in the Telangana State electricity utilities without bribes so much so that even for getting dysfunctional transformers repaired or replaced, poor farmers have to grease the palms of officials who actually access government funds for such work.
Hyderabad: Notwithstanding repeated warnings from Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao that corruption would not be tolerated in administration, nothing moves in the Telangana State electricity utilities without bribes so much so that even for getting dysfunctional transformers repaired or replaced, poor farmers have to grease the palms of officials who actually access government funds for such work.
There are two power distribution companies in Telangana—the Northern Power Distribution Company and the Southern Power Distribution Company.
The Northern Discom covers Khammam, Karimnagar, Warangal, Adilabad and Nizamabad districts, where there are a large number of farmers serviced by 5.60 lakh transformers.
Highlights:
- Farmers touchy about transformers
- Officials make money while trying to redress farmers' grievances
- Farmers unaware of availability of govt funds for repairs
There are 17 government and 108 private centres to undertake repairs to transformers. The government pays Rs 400 crore to private mechanics every year for undertaking repairs to the transformers, according to official statistics.
Due to the overload, many transformers suffer burn-outs during the winter season. Such transformers should be changed in 24 hours in the case of urban areas and 48 hours in the case of rural areas. Every mechanic shed has at least three vehicles for transporting these transformers.
Farmers are touchy about transformers. They are reduced to tears if the transformer burns out during crucial periods. They would go to any extent to save crops from withering.
The electricity authorities strike at this weak point to make a fast buck. The farmers eventually agree to grease the palms of the staff first to dislodge the transformer and then again to mount it on the pedestal after repairs.
The farmers pool the money among themselves at the rate of Rs 500 per acre for undertaking repairs to pay to the staff. Most of the farmers in Telangana depend upon electricity since it is free.
There are 60KV and 100 KV transformers fitted in agriculture fields. However, the electricity staff would give connections indiscriminately, resulting in burn-outs of transformers due to overload.
The higher officials never bother to replace the transformers when there is overload. The Hans India team which visited Khammam, Nalgonda, Warangal, Nizamabad, Adilabad and Karimnagar districts found that farmers were compelled to pay the electricity staff for replacing transformers. “Unless they are paid, the transformers would never be replaced,” they said.
Unfortunately, the farmers are not aware that the government has been releasing funds for repairs to transformers. They shared that they had been paying the staff for the last several years for repairing transformers.
At times, they had to personally transport the burnt-out transformer on their tractors and bring them back, they added. The farmers of Lingagiri village in Huzurnagar mandal in Nalgonda district revealed interesting facts to The Hans India team.
Kadiyala Satyanarayana said that the transformer in their field suffered burn-out two times in a week. There are 20 motors under the transformer and the farmers collected Rs 500 per motor to give to the staff for repairs. “It took more than a week to repair the transformer, though we paid money in advance,” he added.
Although the higher officials were informed about the collection of money, they did not take any action, the farmers lamented.
Gopal Rao, Managing Director of Northern Power Distribution Company Limited, told The Hans India that the farmers need not pay any money for repairs to transformers.
He said that action would be taken in case he received any complaints.
