'Chandrababu Naidu playing dirty politics to deny power to Telangana'

Hyderabad: The TDP called for a Nalgonda bandh on Wednesday to protest against the attack on its office and destruction of furniture. TRS legislators Koppula Eshwar, Laxma Reddy, Karne Prabhakar, Sudhakar Reddy, K.R. Amos, MP Kotha Prabhakar Reddy and other party legislators and leaders staged a dharna at the Ambedkar statue on Tank Bund in Hyderabad.

While the power-starved Telangana government is insisting on generation of power to meet the state’s needs, AP government wants generation to be stopped to save water for its second crop. Telangana state Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao discussed the issue with principal secretary (energy) S.K. Joshi and other senior officials and decided to continue power generation in Srisailam.

Finance minister Etela Rajender accused Mr Naidu of hatching a conspiracy to deny power to Telangana despite the AP Reorganisation Act providing 54 per cent share and to push the state into anarchy for political gain. “Mr Naidu is playing dirty politics and trying to create anarchy in Telangana for political gain through various tactics, including denying rightful share of power. Mr Naidu’s letter to Krishna and Godavari water boards to stop power generation speaks volumes about his continued hatred to-wards Telangana people, Mr Rajender said.

The finance minister further said the present water level at Srisailam was 860 feet and as per the Government Order issued during Mr Naidu and YSR   government’s time, power can be generated till 832 feet. “When Telangana is reeling under severe power crisis, how can Mr Naidu ask water boards to stop power generation? It shows his wicked attitude. As against power demand of 166 million units, the government is able to supply 143 million units of power, a shortfall of 23 MU daily. The TS is trying all sources to get power,” he said.

TRS Achampet MLA Guvvala Balraj is currently camping at Srisailam Hydro Electric Project along with party activists and heavy police bandobust. “We are keeping a watch at Srisailam. AP government is trying to stop power generation. At present, the water level is 859 feet and power generation can go on till 832 feet. They are planning to stop power generation and divert water to Pothireddypadu and other projects,” Mr Balraj said.

TRS MP Kadiam Srihari said the Telangana government would stop power generation at Srisailam if Andhra Pradesh government provided 1,000 MW in lieu. Telangana and AP governments are on collision course over several issues including merger of seven mandals under Polavaram, fee reimbursement, power sharing, distribution of employees, allocation of buildings, renaming institutions among others.