Resolve Telangana Power Crisis: Shabbir Ali To KCR

Deputy CLP leader in the Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Friday asked Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to wake up from his slumber to resolve the energy crisis in Telangana.

Speaking to media persons in the Assembly premises, Shabbir Ali alleged that the Telangana Government lacked clarity on the power supply position. While Energy Minister C Laxma Reddy had been giving assurances of 7-hour power supply to farmers, the DISCOMS were saying that they could not provide power for more than five hours.

He asked the State Government to give a specific assurance to the farmers. He said that similar confusion had led to heavy losses to the farming community in the Kharif season which consequently led to suicides by more than 500 farmers.

He said that the government should not mislead the farmers by giving them false assurances and hopes.

Shabbir Ali said it was unprecedented that power cuts were being imposed in the State during January. He said that previous governments used to impose power cuts in view of the rise in demand during the summer season. However, the imposition of power cuts in January clearly showed the inefficiency of the TRS government in managing the situation.

The Congress leader also slammed the Chief Minister for the delay in implementation of the different power projects in Telangana. He said that while the 600 MW Kakatiya Thermal and 2 x 600 MW Power Project at Mancherial had gotten delayed, the government did not move even an inch after signing an MoU with Chattisgarh for the supply of 1,000 MW of power. He said that no works had been taken up for the establishment of line and grid from Chattisgarh to Dichpally.

Likewise, there was no progress on the 4,000 MW project by the NTPC approved under the Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Act, 2014. He said even AICC President Sonia Gandhi had given an assurance to the people of Karimnagar that the project would come up in their district.

Shabbir Ali strongly condemned Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu for creating an energy crisis in Telangana. He said that Naidu was deliberately delaying the commissioning of the 2 x 800 MW Krishnapatnam ultra-power project just to deny Telangana its share of power. One unit was already ready for the last 5-6 months, and another would be ready in a short while, but Naidu was not declaring CoD as it would facilitate Telangana's getting 53.89% share of the production.

Similarly, another project by the Hindujas of 2 x 520 MW was also being delayed deliberately, he alleged.

Asking KCR to wake up slumber, Shabbir Ali said that the Chief Minister should have taken up the issue either with the Centre or with the Supreme Court. He said that the development of the entire State depended on power, and therefore the government should not act slowly on such matters.

He said that instead of holding review meetings in view of the upcoming GHMC elections, the Chief Minister should conduct meetings to review the power supply position.

He said that when the Chief Minister could spend three days in Warangal in view of the upcoming municipal elections, he could certainly spend three days in Delhi to overcome the power crisis.

The Congress leader also ridiculed the Chief Minister for stating that he was being denied an appointment by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that when Chandrababu Naidu could meet the Prime Minister 4-5 times, then KCR would not be unable to get an appointment. He asked KCR to explain whether the Prime Minister was denying him an appointment or he (KCR) himself was not interested in meeting him.

Shabbir Ali also slammed Union Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu for being against Telangana and acting like the cabinet minister of just AP. When the Centre could convene an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss the increase in MLC seats for AP, why could it not discuss Telangana's power crisis, Shabbir Ali wondered.

The Congress leader also criticized the Telangana government for not participating in the recently held Pravasi Bharati Divas. He said that neither the Chief Minister nor any of his ministers participated in the event to seek investments from the NRIs. This showed KCR's lack of seriousness in attracting investments to the State, he alleged. (INN)