Krishna Pushkaralu Arrangements Underway In AP

With millions expected to throng the Pushkar ghats for the Krishna Pushkaralu in the districts of Guntur and Krishna from August 12th to 23rd, the Andhra Pradesh government said that it would make every necessary arrangement and effort to provide the best and safest experience to the pilgrims during the festival.

"Make sure that all facilities are in place to ensure that no inconvenience is caused to the devotees or the inhabitants of the two districts, particularly in Vijayawada and other villages under the Capital Rural Development scheme. The entire administration and machinery should work in tandem with the key departments during the festival to make it successful," Chief Secretary Satya Prakash Tucker quoted Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu as saying.

Tucker held a teleconference with Principal Secretary (Energy) Ajay Jain and the top officials of the power sector (Chairman & Managing Director of APTRANSCO Vijayanand, Advisor K Ranganatham (Energy), Joint Managing Director of APTRANSCO Dinesh Paruchuri, and CMDs of APDISCOMs H Y Dora and M M Naik), and instructed them to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the festival for a safe and convenient experience. He also suggested to the energy and MA & UD departments that they inspect every street and ensure constant illumination during the festival.

In view of the festival, a joint inspection on August 3 would be conducted in the Vijayawada and Guntur municipal corporations to examine the efficacy of the LED street lights, informed Ajay Jain.

The works taken up by the DISCOMs are almost over. APSPDCL is reportedly spending Rs. 85 crores on power supply and distribution infrastructure to 159 ghats.

On a side note, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (India), which is the implementing agency for the Indian government's LED Street Lighting Project in 110 Urban Local Bodies, assured the State government that it would provide all the necessary upgrades for the street lights and infrastructure in the entire State by 30th September of this year.