In a recent meeting, the Chief Minister and Energy Minister instructed all Electric Supply Companies (ESCOMs) to provide five hours of three-phase power to farmers in the state. However, Hescom has decided to supply farmers in Dharwad, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Gadag, Haveri, and Uttara Kannada districts with five to six hours of power. Farmers in a Bind Farmers growing crops like sugarcane, paddy, and horticulture, which were nearing harvest, urgently needed water at this stage. Power outages have severely affected them. Consequently, many farmers staged protests and demonstrated at Hescom offices in Dharwad, Vijayapura, and other districts, demanding eight hours of three-phase daytime power supply. Hescom's Response HESCOM Managing Director M. Roshan stated that they require sixty million units of power daily, including 28 million units for irrigation pump sets used by farmers. Currently, they are receiving 56 million units of power per day and supplying about five hours of three-phase power to farmers. Following the directives of the Chief Minister and Energy Minister, Hescom will extend the supply to six hours of three-phase power for farmers. According to Hescom, this increased power supply will cater to the needs of sugarcane, paddy, and horticulture crops. They have already consulted with district representatives, deputy commissioners, locals, and farmers and will provide power for six hours. Since sugarcane is ready for harvest, irrigation needs will decrease, and once sugar factories open, they will generate additional power to help meet demand. The government is currently purchasing power from Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, and the power situation is expected to improve in the coming days. Protests Continue Meanwhile, members of the Ratna Bharat Raita Samaja protested in front of the Hescom headquarters in the city, demanding a 10-hour, three-phase power supply for farmers. They claimed that Hescom had been providing only five hours of three-phase power to farmers, and with the prevailing drought conditions, farmers needed sufficient power to grow crops. The protesters threatened to hold demonstrations in front of Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru if Hescom did not supply 10 hours of power to farmers within the next two weeks, according to Samaja national vice-president Hemanagouda.