Stealing transformers oil adds to expenses of farmers till new transformer is installed, say farmers
Police bust a gang of stealing transformer oil, 2 nabbed
Ferozepur, August 18, 2019: Repeated thefts of oil from electricity transformers in various villages of the district and its alleged resale have raised questions and emerged as the major headache for farmers and Mamdot police has exposed one such gang with the arrest of two thieves, when two managed to escape.
Apart from this, one petrol pump owner have also been booked for purchasing the stolen oil.
Farmer Gurjant Singh in his statement to the police informed that some persons were stealing the oil from the transformers from the fields taken on contract and two of them were handed over to the police. The police is investigating into the matter and more clues are likely to come surface.
Farmers of the area, Baljinder Singh, former Sarpanch Balwinder Singh and Surinder Singh of village Dod informed that the gang was active for the last two months in almost eight villages. Shortly, the remaining members will also be nabbed. They informed that Satpal owner of petrol pump of Sodhi Wala has also been booked on charges of purchasing the oil.
Farmers claim that each theft case means their out-of-pocket expense for operation increases. Power is free, so they could run tubewells with relative ease of mind. Once the transformer is stolen, they have to run generators pump out water for irrigation, adding to the expense. They said, our expenses increase till the department, does not allot a new transformer as we have to run generators.
The farmers of the area have demanded from the administration to take stern action against the alleged accused. They also said the transformers were the property of the electricity department so the department must arrange oil for transformers from where its gets stolen.
Sukhpal Singh investigating into the case informed that the arrested thieves will be produced in the court and action as per the rule will also be initiated against the petrol pump owner.