Date:27/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/27/stories/2008112761300600.htm

Karnataka

Power ombudsman moots new cropping methods

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Studies on cropping patterns and new methods of raising crops have become imperative in the State that is now reeling under a power crisis as the farm sector uses nearly 30 per cent of the total power, said Electricity Ombudsman S.D. Ukkali on Wednesday.

Mr. Ukkali was speaking here during an interaction with the industrialists organised by the Laghu Udyoga Bharathi. “Of the 40,000 million units used in Karnataka, 10,000 to 12,000 million units are supplied to agriculture sector. With proper studies, if we are able to save around 2,000 million units, it can be sold to high-category users,” he added.

Mr. Ukkali said that it was sad that after so much of input and effort going into agriculture, farmers resorted to dumping their produce because of price crash.

Captive generation

The Electricity Ombudsman suggested that small scale industrialists should go in for captive generation to overcome the existing power crisis.