Ryots getting only 12-hr power supply, alleges Harish Rao

HYDERABAD

Deputy Floor Leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in the Assembly T. Harish Rao alleged that the Congress Government had failed in ensuring uninterrupted power supply, available water for irrigation to the agriculture sector, and drinking water to people.

He along with party leaders of Alair constituency in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district made a surprise visit to the Solepet substation in Bommalaramaram mandal, examined the records (log book) on supply of power to the farm sector.

Mr. Rao quoted the substation operator as telling him that farmers were earlier given 14 to 15 hours of power supply , but fresh instructions from the government limited agricultural power supply to only 12 hours a day.

He alleged that even during the 12 hours, power supply was frequently interrupted due to repeated tripping. Mr. Harish Rao questioned Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka’s recent statement that there were no power cuts in the State. “If there are no power cuts, why do the official records at Solepet substation show only 12 hours of agricultural supply?”, he asked.

He alleged that the government’s failure to maintain adequate coal stocks had resulted in two units with a combined capacity of 1,600 MW at the Yadadri Thermal Power Station and another 270 MW unit at the Bhadradri Thermal Power Plant shut for long. Despite Telangana having access to Singareni coal, why 1,870 MW of thermal power generation facility was kept idle, he sought to know.

Mr. Rao recalled how Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had earlier stated that farmers required only three hours of power supply and questioned whether the government was now attempting to implement the CM’s word.