Farmers Movement Archive

Power outage at UP Gate protest site for three days

For almost three days, farmer protesters at UP Gate have been without electricity. The increased load on the street light system, which the protesters had tapped into, caused a malfunction forcing them to now rely on generators to run washing machines, coolers, fans and even charge their phones.The farmers have been camping at the site since November 28 last year against the Centre’s farm laws. Tents had come up with protesters believing that their agitation would be a long drawn out one. The stir completed 100 days last week.“Our major camping area is without any electricity for past three days. The camps supports women, children, men and even a few kitchens. We are using generator sets now, but these can be operated for limited time only,” said Jagtar Singh Bajwa, member of UP-Gate farmers’ committee. He said that there were about 1,500 to 2,000 people at the camp. The protest is on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, which is managed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The farmers’ equipment increased load on the cables, which have now been damaged. We are in process of repairing and laying new cables. But if the load continues, short circuits will happen again,” said Mudit Garg, project director from NHAI. The UP Gate to Dasna (19.2km of phase 2) and Dasna to Meerut (32km of phase 4) of the DME project is scheduled to get complete by March 31. The farmers are demanding repeal of the three new laws and urging the government for bringing in a new law on minimum support price. The government on the other hand proposed stay on implementation of the three laws for a period of one and half years but the farmers’ unions did not approve the proposal. There has been a deadlock between the two sides and last time they held talks was on January 22.

Hindustan Times

16-03-2021

Noida