Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], October 15 (ANI): While appealing to farmers to ease the Rail Roko agitation, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday blamed the central government for failing to resolve the Brar Power Crisis resulting from the agitation.
As per a statement, two power units had been shut down due to the rail blockade and the state was looking at a massive power shortage due to coal shortage.
“While three of my 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. Two power units at Lehra Mohabat and a unit of GVK in Taran Taran have already been shut down, and the state is staring at a massive power shortage,” the statement quoted the Chief Minister.
Answering a question at his #AskCaptain Facebook Live session, Singh said that the state was facing a critical shortage of urea and coal, and also needed to urgently move foodgrain from godowns, which was currently impeded by the Rail Roko Andolan.
“There is a suggestion that the state should purchase power from the central grid but where is the money? The state government is providing free power to farmers and is facing a serious shortage of diesel too. We need to seriously think about these problems,” he said, appealing to the farmers to lift their blockade to allow movement of these goods.
He added that the Chief Minister had decided to convene a special session of the Vidhan Sabha on October 19 to find the way forward and added that they were consulting the topmost lawyers to find a way to fight the ‘black farm laws’. (ANI)
