Hyderabad: Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who also holds the Energy portfolio, on Wednesday, July 22, said that there is no such thing as a “power cut” in the state, adding that only “temporary power interruptions” occur when trees fall on poles and lines due to rains and strong winds.
He was speaking at a review meeting at the Northern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Ltd (TGNPDCL) office in Hanumakonda.
The Deputy CM said that Telangana’s power system has effectively withstood an additional burden of 7,000 MW caused by the El Niño phenomenon. He said that the peak demand, which is usually 11,000 MW during the rainy season, has unexpectedly reached 16,500 MW, resembling the summer months.
The lack of water in irrigation projects and the cessation of 2,000 MW of hydroelectric power have also put a severe shock on the distribution system, he said.
However, due to the tireless efforts of the power staff and the implementation of well-planned strategies, the government has been able to overcome these situations and provide free, quality electricity to the people without any problems, he said.
Moreover, the government has successfully managed the increased electricity demand presented by large-scale lift irrigation schemes like Kaleshwaram, Devadula and Sitarama under the NPDCL, as well as the increased use of bore wells by farmers due to the lack of rain, Bhatti said.
KTR has no understanding of El Niño: Bhatti
Slamming Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao for his comments on Congress’ alleged failure to handle the drought situation, Bhatti said it was strange for KTR, who served as a minister for 10 years and studied in the United States, to not have basic understanding of El Niño.
“Watching KTR speak without any knowledge, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. As a responsible opposition, if you give good advice, we will accept it, but don’t spread malicious propaganda.” Bhatti said.
He further criticised the BRS, saying that the Kaleshwaram project during their tenure collapsed in just three years, whereas the projects built by the previous Congress government have survived decades.
He said that the Sripada Yellampally project, built during the previous Congress regime upstream of Kaleshwaram, is still standing tall and safe with a capacity of 20 TMC and provides irrigation water to lakhs of acres.
The Sriramsagar (SRSP) project, built by the Congress six decades ago, has also stood intact despite the surge of the Godavari, he said. “If the projects built by the Congress on the same Godavari river… on the same sandy foundation have been safe for decades, why did the Medigadda Barrage in the Kaleshwaram area built by BRS collapse in just three years?” he remarked.
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