Capt blames Union Govt for failing to resolve power crisis
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 15
Even as he reiterated his appeal to the farmers to ease their ‘rail roko’ to allow the transportation of critical essentials, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday blamed the Centre for failing to resolve the power crisis resulting from farmers’ agitation.
The Chief Minister said while three of his Cabinet colleagues were in discussion with the farmer unions to persuade them to lift the rail blockade, which had led to serious coal shortage in the state, it was the duty of the Union Government to engage with them. Pointing out that two power units at Lehra Mohabbat and one unit of GVK in Tarn Taran had already shut down, he said the state was staring at a massive power shortage.
In his #AskCaptain Facebook Live session, the CM in response to a question from a Bathinda resident said the state was facing critical shortage of urea and coal and also needed to urgently move foodgrain from godowns, which was currently impeded by the rail roko andolan.
The Chief Minister said there was a suggestion that the state should purchase power from the Central grid, but where was the money? He pointed out that the state government was providing free power to farmers and was facing a serious shortage of diesel too. “We need to seriously think about these problems,” he said, urging the farmers to lift their blockade to allow movement of these goods.
Asserting his government’s commitment to do everything possible to protect the rights of the farmers, who had been hit hard by the Centre’s farm laws, the Chief Minister said his government had decided to convene a special session of the Vidhan Sabha on October 19 to find the way forward. “I will do everything in my power to save the farmers and their future,” he said, responding to a Ferozepur resident. Besides calling the Assembly session, his government was consulting top-most lawyers to find a way to fight the farm laws, he said.
