Farmers Movement Archive

Talk of the town: With solar panels atop tractors, farmers stay mobile

NEW DELHI: It is 17 days since the farmers left their families behind and congregated at the Singhu border. The only way they can stay connected with home is through mobile phones. So, farmers have found creative ways to charge their mobile phones, some installing solar plates on their tractors, others using their tractor engine power to fuel their phones. Hardeep Singh of Karnal put up two solar panels behind his tractor. Singh, who as a member of Nirmal Kutiya Karnal, has engaged in langar service at the protest site, said, “At night, we require light to be able to distribute food. The 10 of us in the team need our phones to stay in touch with our family and to coordinate with the people who bring the food,” said Singh. The two panels are sufficient for these two objectives. Since Singh has installed solar panels back home, putting them up at Singhu was too difficult for him. On Saturday, there was no sun and people worried about the availability of solar power. Not Amandeep Sandhu of Bathinda, though. He has three sockets in the tractor to draw power from the engine. “Thankfully, some kind person has set up this system. I did not come in this tractor, so I cannot charge people who want to charge their phones any money,” said Sandhu. “My family members get worried if I don’t call them up, so I have to keep my phone charged.” Another protester was also using the arrangement made by the tractor owner. “We are far away from home and the phone is the only way to keep ourselves updated with news from back home,” he said. He was also thankful that someone had thoughtfully ensured a way for protestors to charge their phones. Many also go to Kessel Grand Mall, where some groups have acquired permission from the building owners to use the electricity connection for the washing machines they have installed and for people to charge their phones.

The Times of India

2020-12-13

Delhi