KCR to visit Chhattisgarh to buy Power

HYDERABAD: Further intensifying his efforts to overcome the power crisis in the state, Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is likely to visit Chhattisgarh in a couple of days to personally talk with his counterpart Raman Singh to discuss the possibility of purchasing power from that state.

This is the first time a chief minister will be visiting a neighbouring state to solve the power crisis. In the wake of precarious power situation after the bifurcation of the erstwhile combined state of Andhra Pradesh, Rao holds the energy portfolio with him to make the state power-surplus within in three years.

The chief minister has already spoken with Raman Singh over phone recently on the matter. Telangana seeks to buy 4,000 MW of power from Chhattisgarh.

The new state also seeks to have a tie-up with Chhattisgarh which has rich coal reserves. But buying power from Chhattisgarh requires laying of dedicated power lines between the two states.

Officials told the chief minister at a review meeting held at the Secretariat here on Thursday that there were lines from Chhattisgarh up to Wardha, near Nagpur, in Maharashtra and the lines need to be extended from Wardha to Dichpally in Nizamabad district. If the Chhattisgarh government agrees to sell power, the lines will be erected.

The chief minister is also of the view that Telangana should maintain cordial relations with Odisha and Jharkhand in order to purchase power from those states. The arrangements will be in such a manner that the lines erected now will be useful to sell power to others states once Telangana becomes power surplus.

The chief minister, if necessary, will also personally talk with the chief ministers of other neighbouring states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in a bid to buy power from the Southern Grid. According to sources, there is a possibility of Telangana government making bid for 1,200 MW power from the Southern Grid.

The review of energy situation in Telangana was conducted in the backdrop of power crisis due to the 'intentional mischief' created by Andhra Pradesh Genco, it is said. The chief minister said that the present power crisis was due to two resons: mischief created by Andhra Pradesh and drought.

Officials informed Rao that the situation in June was like that in May due to delayed monsoon. Rao directed the energy officials to draw up short-term and long-term plans to overcome the power shortage.

The chief minister elicited the opinion of officials as to the existing power position and the inadequacy of power supply to farmers. He said that the government might need to buy power from neighbouring states to overcome the crisis.

Rao directed the officials to constitute a committee with officials of energy, principal secretary (revenue) and the chief secretary to explore the possibilities of purchasing power from neighbouring states.

As a short-term measure, he said a plan may be worked out for purchasing power from available sources including the private sector. 'At any cost, farmers should not face power problem in the ensuing Kharif season,' he said.

Development Body for Gajwel

The State government created Gajwel Area Development Authority (GADA) at Gajwel of Medak district for its overall development. GADA will function under the chairmanship of Medak collector and orders to this effect were issued by Chief Secretary Rajiv Sharma on Thursday.

Chief Minister KCR represents Gajwel Assembly segment. The government also appointed a special officer for GADA to prepare a comprehensive master plan for development.