Power sector reforms not to hit farmers

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, NOV. 16.

The Electricity Minister, Mr. Kadavoor Sivadasan, today said the power tariff concessions currently being extended to farmers and weaker sections of society would not be withdrawn on account of the reforms being introduced in the power sector.

Replying to a submission by the CPI MLA, Mr. K.P. Rajendran, in the State Assembly, he said there was no truth in the "horror stories" being disseminated by the Opposition parties about the reforms. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the State had signed with the Centre in August on this subject would not lead to any structural changes in the power sector in the State. The changes envisaged through the MoU were very much the same as those in the previous LDF Government's proclaimed power policy.

Mr. Rajendran had, in his submission, alleged that several KSEB section offices had started issuing electricity bills to the farmers who had all along been enjoying free supply of power for their agricultural operations.

Mr. Sivadasan informed the House that paddy farmers, irrespective of the extent of the land being cultivated by them, and other farmers having up to 2 hectares under crop, would continue to get free supply of electricity. This did not mean that, as a commercial institution, the KSEB would not be issuing bills on the electricity used by them. These bills were to be submitted to the Krishi Bhavan having jurisdiction over the area concerned. The concession due to the farmers was being routed through the Agriculture Department, he added.

Plight of lab assistants

The Kerala Congress(M) MLA, Mr. K. Narayana Kurup, through another submission, drew the Government's attention to the plight of over 3,000 laboratory assistants working in the Plus Two schools in the State. He said their appointments were yet to be regularised, because of which they were being denied their monthly salaries.

The Education Minister, Mr. Nalakathu Soopy, said the plight of the teachers in Plus Two schools were no better when the UDF Government assumed office. Because of the financial "indiscretions" of the LDF regime, the Antony Government was saddled with huge liabilities in the Plus Two sector also, as in all other sectors. The Government was addressing these liabilities one by one.

The problem of the lab assistants was under the scrutiny of the Government. Normally, the school managements should have obtained prior sanction of the Government to make these appointments. The stipulation was not followed by them. Notwithstanding this flaw, the Government would sort out the problem soon, Mr. Soopy said.

Thalasserry incident

In yet another submission, the CPI(M) leader, Mr. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, urged the Government to take strong action against a group of RSS activists who had indulged in vandalism at the Jagannatha Temple, Thalasserry, on November 13. He described how these anti-social elements were creating problems for the women who come to offer worship at this temple established by Sree Narayana Guru. He said Thalasserry town had observed a hartal to express the people's protest against the incident.

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. M.M. Hassan, replying to this submission on behalf of the Chief Minister, said a BJP worker was arrested by the police in connection with the incident mentioned by Mr. Kodiyeri. He said the vandals had caused a damage of around Rs. 20,000 to the properties of the temple. The police had registered a case against 10 persons involved in the attack, he said.

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