Farmers in Navali, Kanakagiri Gherao KEB Office Demanding 12-Hour Continuous Power for Pump Sets

Farmers in the Navali region of Kanakagiri taluk in Koppal district held a protest march and gheraoed the local KEB (GESCOM) office, demanding 12 hours of uninterrupted daily power supply for agricultural pump sets. Under the banner of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene, agricultural workers gathered at Buddha Circle in Navali village before marching on foot to the electricity office to stage their demonstration. The protesters submitted a detailed memorandum to Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) Manjunath, voicing deep resentment against the erratic electricity distribution across rural feeders in Kanakagiri taluk. Addressing the gathering, Raitha Sangha District General Secretary Sharanappa Gaddi highlighted that farmers in Navali hobli are facing severe injustice due to unscheduled load-shedding and frequent power disruptions. Standing crops are on the verge of drying up because pumps cannot draw sufficient water during short and unpredictable power supply spells. The local farming community warned that if the electricity supply company fails to assure 12 hours of continuous three-phase power for irrigation, they will intensify their struggle and launch a larger district-wide agitation. For residents of Kanakagiri taluk, especially rural agricultural households, dependable power supply remains critical to surviving dry spells and safeguarding their seasonal crops and livelihoods.