Hyderabad: With the Chief Ministers of the two Telugu states, K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, enjoying cordial relations, the electricity departments of Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh hope to resolve the five-year long controversy over arrears and employees.
The controversy on power dues led to stopping the power supply to each other.
Under the Chandrababu Naidu regime, the AP government’s argument was that the Telangana state government has to pay Rs 5,127 crore power dues. In addition, the Telangana state government has to pay Rs 600 crore towards interest.
The Telangana state government’s argument is that the AP government has to pay arrears to the Singareni Collieries towards coal supply to its thermal power stations. After deducting these arrears it has to pay only Rs 3,136 crore to AP.
At one stage, Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan intervened to resolve the controversy and held a meeting with officials of the power departments of both states. But his efforts went in vain. Now, officials of both governments are hoping for an amicable solution to this issue.
Another controversy between the two states is about 1,100 electricity employees. In the wake of a controversy between the two states, the Telangana state government relieved more than 1,100 employees who are natives of AP. It said it did not need the services of AP native employees.
The AP government did not agree to take the employees. The issue went to court and the AP government later relieved from service employees who are natives of Telangana.
In the last five years, the 1,100 employees relieved by the Telangana state government faced several problems in not getting postings and promotions. They hope that they will get a permanent solution to their issue. Senior officials of the Telangana state energy department said that once these problems are resolved, power supply between both states may be restored if needed.
