Hyderabad: The Telangana state government has ruled out stoppage of power generation at the Sri-sailam Hydro Electric Project and has sought immediate intervention by the Centre.
The government wants the Centre to ensure that Telangana gets its share of 54 per cent power from all power stations constructed in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, including Srisailam and the latest project, Krishnapatnam.
Protests in Telangana and a war of words continued between the TRS and the TD for the second consecutive day on Wednesday over the Srisailam power generation issue.
“There is no question of stoppage of power generation at Srisail-am. Telangana has the right to draw power. It is a power project and power generation will continue as per stipulation. There will be no water problem for AP since it has drawn more than its share,” said irrigation minister T. Harish Rao.
“Andhra Pradesh is eligible for 30 TMC of water from Srisailam but it has drawn 60 TMC so far. Should we give water to you and destroy our crops?” he asked.
Accusing AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of bluffing on the issue, he said the government was ready to prove it and take up the issue with the Centre.
“We have to get 54 per cent share of power from all power stations constructed in the undivided Andhra Pradesh as per the AP Reorganisation Act. But we are not getting our share from Sileru, Krishnapatnam and other power stations,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Telangana government continued to purchase power on Wednesday and bought 6.388 million units at the rate of Rs 7.05 per unit, totalling Rs 4.68 crore. The government has spent Rs 125.48 crore so far for purchasing 157.88 MU power since October 1.
Criticising the AP Chief Minister, Mr Harish Rao alleged that the former kept a “smiling face with poison in his stomach”.
“The Congress and the TD leaders are she-dding crocodile tears for Telangana people. We have replied to queries raised before the Krishna Water Board. Mr Naidu has a doctorate in backstabbing, cheating and scheming. Do Telangana Telugu Desam leaders want power generation to continue or not? Let them spell out their stance,” he said.
The irrigation minister said that for the sake of a second crop, the AP government was playing with the lives of the people of Telangana who were facing a severe power crisis.
“Why is the BJP silent on this? Mr Naidu is trying to deprive Telangana of its share of power and push the state into a crisis. Mr Naidu is a Telangana traitor,” he alleged
Transport minister P. Mahender Reddy, meanwhile, took exception to Telangana TD leader Errabelli Dayakar Rao’s comments that they would pull down Telangana Bhavan.
“If the TD leaders touch Telangana Bhavan, the Telugu Desam office at NTR Trust Bhavan will be wiped out. They should control their tongues or face stern action,” he warned.
He added, “What business does Mr Naidu have in Telangana and Hyderabad? He is Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and he better stay there. Just because it’s the joint capital, he cannot bulldoze us,” he said.
