Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Free power emptying Punjab groundwater: Montek by Priyadarshi Siddhanta

Free power emptying Punjab groundwater: Montek by Priyadarshi Siddhanta

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Jun 10, 2010   modified Modified on Jun 10, 2010

The Punjab government’s policy to provide free power to the farm sector has led to alarming depletion of its groundwater besides unleashing a huge power subsidy burden of more than Rs 3,000 crore, the Planning Commission has said.

The Commission has asked the SAD-BJP government in the state to do away with free power to the sector and begin charging “appropriate tariff” for it.

In a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia expressed serious concern on the “rapidly deteriorating situation regarding ground- water” as the rate of extraction had reached 145 per cent of the recharge.

“The state now has 112 out of 141 blocks termed as ‘dark’ with an alarming rate of depletion of groundwater. The resulting falling water is a serious matter,” said Ahluwalia.

“There are also long-standing issues like free power to agricultural consumers which in our view is not the best way to support agriculture and is contributing to over drawal of groundwater. The share of agriculture in the total energy sold is 30 per cent. I understand that the state is actively considering doing away with the free power for agriculture and charge an appropriate tariff on agricultural consumptions. I hope the state will soon act,” Ahluwalia stated in his letter.


The Indian Express, 10 June, 2010, http://www.indianexpress.com/news/free-power-emptying-punjab-groundwater-mont/631292/


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close