No power to run pump, farmer falls at officials feet in Madhya Pradesh

Shivpuri, Dec 31: A farmer in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri fell to the feet of district collector for a power connection in his field, a video of which went viral on social media.

The incident happened Friday when Ajeet Jatav, a resident of Rannod village, approached district collector Anugraha P as she stepped out of her office for lunch and threw himself at her feet.

The farmer was reportedly waiting there since morning. The video shows the collector listening to Jatav's problem briefly and assuring him to look into it.

According to Jatav, he had paid for a transformer near his field and an electricity connection on August 14.

Later talking to reporters, he said that he went to the collector as he didn't get the connection despite several requests.

As the video went viral, the district administration moved swiftly and installed the transformer near his field Sunday.

However, Madhya Pradesh Power Company General Manager R K Agrawal said the complaint of the farmer was not valid.

"As per rules, the farmer is not supposed to get the power connection directly from transformer," he said.

Agrawal said the matter got delayed because Jatav was insisting for installation of a transformer.

Meanwhile, state Congress spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi said Guna lawmaker Jyotiraditya Scindia called up the collector and directed her not to behave with people "inhumanly".

"In future, no public servant should deal with people in such inhuman manner. Hearing public problems and finding a solution to them is your moral as well as administrative duty," Chaturvedi quoted Scindia as saying.

He said the collector then directed officials concerned to install the transformer. Shivpuri falls in Scindia's constituency.

PTI