VIJAYAWADA: NOTING that farmers’ welfare is its top priority, the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) has asked the State power utilities to strengthen the existing mechanism for resolving grievances such as compensation payment to farmers in a timebound manner. The APERC stated that neither the State nor the Central power utilities could bypass the procedure or rules of issuing notice and getting consent from the owners of land as per the law for its use.
APERC Chairman CV Nagarjuna Reddy, along with members P Raja Gopal Reddy and Thakur Rama Singh, reviewed various aspects of the power utilities. Categorically stating that no agriculture land could be taken forcibly without the consent of farmers to set up power infrastructure, the APERC said that the Electricity Act, 2003 should be implemented in true spirit.
