Centre agrees to supply power to Andhra

Reeling under a power crisis due to the ongoing strike by coal workers in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh Tuesday received some respite with the central government agreeing to provide 1,000 MW.

The Eastern Grid will provide 800 MW from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. while the Haryana government will supply 200 MW round the clock from its Jhajjar power plant.

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for coming to the rescue of the state.

According to a statement from the chief minister’s office, Kiran Kumar Reddy had earlier made a request to the prime minister to help the state as it is facing severe power shortage due to the strike by employees in Singareni Collieries.

The chief minister had warned that if power supply at the present level is not ensured to farmers, there is danger of the standing crops getting damaged.

The chief minister had also requested the central government to allocate an additional 500 MW unallocated from Central Generation Stations (CGS) to the state. The central government has so far allocated 185 MW, said the statement.

Meanwhile, the energy department has also appealed to people to save energy in view of the crisis.

Due to strike since Sep 13, the daily production of coal from Singareni Collieries has come down to 36,700 tonnes per day from 1.5 lakh tonnes per day.

APGENCO’s (Andhra Pradesh Generation Corporation) thermal stations are now generating only 3,000 MW as against 5,093 MW generating capacity due to shortage of coal. Coal stocks are depleting and the present stock will suffice for just three days only.

The total loss of thermal generation to the state on account of severe coal severe deficit is around 56 million units per day. The total gap between power generation and supply is 48 million units per day.

In view of the crisis, the government has already imposed power cuts on all sectors. Farmers, who used to get seven hours free power supply earlier, are now being supplied power for six hours. The power cuts in the cities, towns and villages range from four hours to 10 hours per day.

The government has also declared two day power holiday for industry every week in addition to imposing four-hour power cut every day.

World Snap Today's News of India

BJP slams Congress over Telangana

Hyderabad: BJP on Tuesday slammed the UPA government for dilly-dallying on the separate statehood issue though a general strike has been going on in the Telangana region for over 20 days.

The Centre has failed to come out with a concrete response after a delegation of TRS and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) met the Prime Minister in Delhi on Monday, senior BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya alleged.

The Congress government in the state has failed to provide any relief to people who have been facing prolonged disruptions in electricity supply, he said.

The state government can store adequate water and produce hydel power to make for the shortage in power production due to the strike by staff of state-run miner Singareni Collieries, Dattatreya claimed.

Congress governments at the Centre and in the state should take concrete steps to resolve the Telangana issue and also people's other problems, he said.

BJP has two MLAs in the 294-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

Telangana agitators plan bandh

TENSE MOMENT: Minister K. Venkat Reddy being arrested in Hyderabad on Monday. Photo: Mohd Yousuf

Attack Congress leaders: KCR

A bandh here on September 30 and a three-day rail roko across Telangana from October 9 to 11 form part of an intensified agitation by the Telangana joint action committee (JAC) from Tuesday to step up pressure on the Centre to concede statehood to the region.

The next phase of agitation which was finalised at a meeting of the JAC here on Monday was released to media by Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) president K. Chandrasekhar Rao and the panel's chairman M. Kodandaram. The bandh will coincide with the deadline set by Congress leaders to the Centre to make an announcement on Telangana.

Constituents of JAC will participate in rallies taken out by Road Transport Corporation (RTC) workers on Tuesday, stage rasta roko in Hyderabad and over 100 places elsewhere in the region on Wednesday, and lay siege to the houses of ruling Congress leaders against the power cut to the agriculture sector on Thursday.

Mr. Rao called upon Telangana supporters to target leaders from the region, particularly those of the Congress, for the recent power cuts to agriculture which the government claimed was on account of poor generation due to lack of coal supplies. Meanwhile, disturbances were witnessed in several places in Hyderabad as the general strike entered the 14{+t}{+h} day on Monday. Infrastructure and Investments Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Congress MPs Ponnam Prabhakar, Madhu Yaskhi and S. Rajaiah and TRS MLAs Eatala Rajender and K.T. Rama Rao were arrested when they obstructed traffic on the busy road opposite the Vidyuth Soudha.

Earlier, the Minister and others stormed the chambers of Transport Commissioner Heeralal Samariya nearby seeking withdrawal of show-cause notices issued to employees who participated in the general strike. Additional Commissioner of Transport P. Srinivas was beaten up.

An industrial bandh was organised on Monday as workers of PSUs, including BHEL and Ordnance Factory, and private sector majors like Aurobindo, Reddy Labs and Matrix abstained from work. The office of Emaar Properties in Nanakramguda was attacked by agitators.

Employees of the Secretariat took out a procession and staged a dharna in front of the block housing the Chief Minister's office.

Telangana stir triggers power crisis in AP

Hyderabad

Andhra Pradesh is facing an unprecedented power crisis as a direct result of the ongoing indefinite general strike by Telangana protagonists.
    
The gap between power demand and supply has widened to 50 million units (MU) per day with the demand touching a peak of 275 MU because of continued dry spell in the state.
   
During the corresponding period last year, the demand for power was only 223 MU.
    
Consequently, heavy power cuts are being imposed across The state with industries and agriculture being the worst hit.
   
While the duration of power shutdown in urban areas is four hours, it is six hours in district headquarters and about ten hours in rural areas.
   
The government-run Power Transmission Corporation of AP has officially declared a three-day 'power holiday'to industries in the state while it is finding it difficult to ensure seven-hour power supply to the agriculture sector even as reports have come in from districts like Nalgonda, Ranga Reddy and Mahbubnagar in Telangana region that crops have started withering due to non-availability of power.
  
Thermal power generation at AP Power Generation Corporation's units in the state has now fallen to 3,000 MW as against the installed capacity of 5,093 MW.
    
The strike in Singareni Collieries coal fields since September 13 as part of the general strike in Telangana, has reduced coal production to 36,700 tonnes per day as against the normal 1.5 lakh tonnes. This has left the thermal power stations dry, leading to severe shortfall in production, according to member Secretary of AP Energy Co-ordination Cell, A Chandrasekhar Reddy.
    
The National Thermal Power Corporation's unit at Ramagundam in Karimnagar district has been forced to shut down one of its units, resulting in a loss of 500 MW.

The total loss of thermal power due to severe coal deficit is around 56 MU per day (38 MU from AP Genco stations and 18 MU from NTPC's Ramagundam and Simhadri units).
    
The gas-based power stations are working to only 75 per cent of their plant load factor and generating 36 MU, he said.
    
Hydel power generation that peaked to 65 MU early last month, due to heavy inflow of flood water into major reservoirs like Srisailam, has now come down to just 39 MU as inflows ceased.
   
With the Telangana protagonists making it clear that the indefinite general strike would continue till the central Government conceded the demand for creation of a separate state,the state government has decided to purchase 980 MW of power  from external sources to tide-over the crisis this month.

“The problem is, even if we want to buy power from the open market, it is not readily available. Our main concern is to ensure that required power is supplied to the agriculture sector and save the standing Kharif crops,'' Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy pointed out.
    
He has directed Transco officials to increase the duration of power cuts in urban areas, if required, and supply adequate power to the farms.
   
The Energy Co-ordination Cell, on the other hand, issued an appeal to people today asking them not to use air-conditioners to reduce power consumption and also conserve energy through other means and ''co-operate with the power utilities to overcome the present situation.''

COURTESY:

Telangana protesters block Vijayawada-Hyderabad highway

Hyderabad

Road transport between the Telangana and Andhra regions of Andhra Pradesh Tuesday came to a standstill with protestors, demanding a separate state of Telangana, blockading the national highway connecting the towns of Vijayawada and Hyderabad.

Hundreds of vehicles were stranded at several places in Nalgonda district as the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), spearheading the Telangana movement, began a 24-hour road blockade.

Police arrested over 100 JAC leaders and activists at Nakrekal in Nalgonda district as they squatted on National Highway 9 to block vehicles coming from Vijayawada in Krishna district.

As the protesters also blocked the road at the border point between Andhra and Telangana regions, authorities diverted some vehicles through Khammam district. However, hundreds of vehicles, including buses, trucks and cars were stranded at the border.

The JAC alleged that many of its leaders had been arrested since Monday night.

This is the second consecutive day of Telangana protesters blocking vehicles coming from coastal Andhra region.

The violent protests had seen 20 private buses being damaged in Nalgonda district.

Thousands of people from Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Eluru, Rajahmundry, Guntur and other towns in coastal Andhra travel through the highway to reach Hyderabad.

Andhra leaders say the protests are causing severe inconvenience to people visiting their homes for Dussehra festival.

State-owned Road Transport Corporation (RTC) buses remained off the roads in Telangana for the 16th day Tuesday.

The few RTC buses plying from Andhra to Hyderabad were also cancelled. Most  private operators have also suspended their services following Monday's incidents.
 

COURTESY:

Telangana: Protesters Pelt Stones, Disrupt Traffic

Vehicular traffic on the national highway no 9, passing through Nalgonda district in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh, remained obstructed for several hours today following blockades placed by the pro-Telangana activists who even pelted stones on some private vehicles, police said.

The highway links Hyderabad to Vijayawada.

The vehicular movement en-route and at various places in the district virtually came to a standstill for the second consecutive day as protesters pelted stones on a few private vehicles after forcibly stopping them from plying.

Intensifying the demonstrations, party workers of TRS, BJP and scores of activists representing different pro-Telangana groups raised slogans and squatted on roads and even prepared lunch, besides staging cultural programmes.

The Telangana-JAC had called for a 24-hour blocking of the highway in Nalgonda district as part of the ongoing general strike demanding separate statehood, which entered the 23rd day today.

Hundreds of vehicles were seen stranded on the national highway due to blockades since 8 am till late afternoon, though police diverted traffic through a by-pass and the state highway, a senior police officer said.

As many as 129 pro-Telangana agitators were taken into preventive custody as they blocked traffic at Nakrekal and Suryapet mandal in Nalgonda district, however, police ensured that traffic moved through the diverted routes in other parts, DIG (Hyderabad Range) Y Nagi Reddy told PTI.

"Two police constables also suffered injuries during the stone pelting incident," he added.

Traffic came to a grinding halt for six hours at Suryapet town, while the protesters blocked roads for almost five hours in Nakrekal.

"Traffic has now been restored after getting the highway cleared of protesters," Reddy said.

Referring to the yesterday's incident wherein pro-Telangana activists damaged windowpanes of around 20 private buses among other vehicles coming from Andhra region near Nakrekal and other places of Nalgonda, Reddy said police had booked 18 cases under relevant sections of IPC against 400 persons.

He said 10 of the accused had already been arrested in this connection and they were today remanded to judicial custody.

Meanwhile, the pro-Telangana protesters asserted that they resorted to blockades today to highlight the plight of farmers in the region saying they are on "the verge of losing their Kharif crop this year as the power distribution companies (Discoms) are imposing unscheduled cuts in power supply".

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, however, held pro-Telangana leaders responsible for the power crisis as the coal miners in the region have joined the ongoing general strike.

Meanwhile, Additional Director General (Law and Order) S A Huda said pro-Telangana activists obstructed traffic on NH-9, Sagar road and Addanki road and several other places in Nalgonda district responding to the call given by Telangana JAC for blocking the highway.

Apart from taking into custody as many as 129 protesters in connection with blocking of the highway, police had identified 400 agitators, who along with their leaders indulged in pelting stones on private buses at Nakrekal and other places of Nalgonda district yesterday, Huda said.

"Special teams have been formed and instruction have been sent from police head quarters to nab the culprits on whom cases were booked," he said, adding there were no major incidents reported today and normal traffic was restored from 3 pm onwards.


COURTESY:

I'm neutral towards Telangana: Naidu

Hyderabad, Oct 04 (INN): Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu has announced that he was neither against nor supports the formation of separate Telangana State. Talking to reporters at the NTR Trust Bhavan here on Tuesday, Naidu said that he was completely neutral on the state bifurcation issue. "In case of state's bifurcation, I will be a leader for both Telangana and Seemandhra regions," he hoped. He said he needs to protect the interest of his party in both the regions. The TDP chief said that he was aware of the feelings of people from both the regions and therefore, could not support or oppose any of them. He alleged that the Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi have secretly joined hands to finish the Telugu Desam party in Telangana region. Commenting on the on-going Sakala Janula Samme, Naidu said that the entire Telangana region was pushed into crisis by TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao and JAC chairman Prof M Kodandaram. Further, the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy was proved inefficient in handling the crisis. He said the leaders spearheading the Telangana agitation were trying to gain the political mileage without considering that their acts were causing lot of hardship to both the striking employees and the common man. Regarding the power cuts, Naidu said that the farmers have been suffering due to the power cuts imposed on agricultural sector. Further, the cuts for the industrial sector was resulting in job lesses due to cut in productions. He requested the Singareni Collieries employees to withdraw the strike in the interests of Telangana farmers and workers. The TDP president also demanded that the government streamline the supply of fertilizers to farmers across the State. He alleged that due to government's inability, an artificial shortage of fertilisers has been created and the farmers would be forced to spend over Rs 2,000 crore to buy fertilisers from the black market. (INN)

On 22nd day, no end in sight to Telangana strike

Hyderabad, Oct 4 (IANS) With the centre not giving any assurance on carving a separate Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh, the indefinite 'people's strike' in the region went into its 22nd day Tuesday with no end in sight.

Over 800,000 employees of the government, workers of the state-owned Singareni Collieries and Road Transport Corporation (RTC) and teachers continued to stay away from work.

Coal production in the Singareni mines, spread over four districts, remained crippled while buses of RTC were off the roads in Hyderabad and nine other districts for the 16th day.

With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh making no commitment during a meeting in New Delhi with Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao and other leaders Monday night, no end to the strike appears visible. In fact, the indications are that the stir will intensify.

KCR, as the TRS leader is popularly known, declared after meeting the prime minister that the strike would be intensified. He rejected the prime minister's appeal to call off the strike.

"The strike will not be called off under any circumstances unless the centre announces a road map for creation of Telangana state," the MP said.

The strike is causing severe inconvenience to people as the administration has come to a standstill, electricity supply has been badly hit and public transport and education sector paralysed.

The strike is also having an impact on Dassehra and Bathukamma festivities. As the striking employees have not been paid salaries and festival bonus by the government and management of RTC, there are hardly any celebrations for their families.

Lack of public transport has also hit the celebrations with many families finding it difficult to join their near and dear ones in their home towns.

The Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), which is spearheading the movement, has ruled out calling off the strike.

"There is no alternative to the strike to achieve Telangana state," JAC convenor M. Kodandaram told reporters here Tuesday after his return from New Delhi.

He said the JAC had an action plan for the entire month of October. "If the centre still fails to respond we will intensify the agitation next month," he said.

Kodandaram also claimed that there was some progress achieved in their visit to Delhi as the centre acknowledged the seriousness of the issue. He, however, said there was no need for any further consultations on the issue.

The JAC leader clarified that their fight was against the centre and not against the people of Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. He felt the attempts by the protesters to stop buses coming from Andhra into Telangana were not deliberate.

COURTESY:http://www.punjabstarnews.com/

Telangana triggered crisis:Centre to supply 800 MW power to AP

The Centre has agreed to supply 800 MW of power from the Eastern Grid to Andhra Pradesh that is facing an unprecedented power crisis as a direct result of the ongoing indefinite general strike by Telangana protagonists.

The Haryana government, on the other hand, has also agreed to share 200 MW of power from its Jhajjar plant. This follows an SOS from state Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. However, the Government of India is yet to take a decision on the state's request for allocation of an additional 300 MW of power from the Central Generating stations. While the Chief Minister requested the Centre for allocation of 500 MW from the CGS, only 185 MW has been allotted so far, a press release from the Chief Minister’s Office said. The gap between power demand and supply has widened to 50 million units (MU) per day at present with the demand touching a peak of 275 MU because of continued dry spell in the state. During the corresponding period last year, the demand for power was only 223 MU. Consequently, heavy power cuts are being imposed across sectors in the state with industries and agriculture being the worst hit. While the duration of power shutdown in urban areas is four hours, it is six hours in district headquarters and about ten hours in rural areas. The government-run Power Transmission Corporation of AP has officially declared a three-day 'power holiday' to industries in the state while it is finding it difficult to ensure seven-hour power supply to the agriculture sector even as reports have come in from districts like Nalgonda, Ranga Reddy and Mahbubnagar in the Telangana region that crops started withering due to non-availability of power. Thermal power generation at AP Power Generation Corporation’s units in the state has now fallen to 3,000 MW as against the installed capacity of 5,093 MW. The strike in Singareni Collieries coal fields since September 13, as part of the general strike in Telangana, has reduced coal production to 36,700 tonnes per day as against the normal 1.5 lakh tonnes. This has left the thermal power stations dry, leading to severe shortfall in production, according to Member-Secretary of AP Energy Co-ordination Cell A Chandrasekhar Reddy. The National Thermal Power Corporation’s unit at Ramagundam in Karimnagar district has been generating only 1400 MW as against its installed capacity of 2600 MW. Similarly, the NTPC Simhadri unit at Visakhapatnam is generating 1300 MW against 1500 MW. The total loss of thermal power due to severe coal deficit is around 56 MU per day (38 MU from AP Genco stations and 18 MU from NTPC’s Ramagundam and Simhadri units). The gas-based power stations are working to only 75 per cent of their plant load factor and generating 36 MU, he said. Hydel power generation that peaked to 65 MU early last month, due to heavy inflow of flood water into major reservoirs like Srisailam, has now come down to just 39 MU as inflows ceased. "The problem is, even if we want to buy power from the open market, it is not readily available. Our main concern is to ensure that required power is supplied to the agriculture sector and save the standing Kharif crops," Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy pointed out. He has directed Transco officials to increase the duration of power cuts in urban areas, if required, and supply adequate power to the farms. The Energy Co-ordination Cell, on the other hand, issued an appeal to people today asking them not to use air-conditioners to reduce power consumption and also conserve energy through other means and "co-operate with the power utilities to overcome the present situation."

    COURTESY:   

Telangana activists reject PM's appeal, KCR may go on fast

Telangana activists reject PM's appeal, to intensify stir

NEW DELHI: Rejecting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's appeal, Telanganaprotesters on Monday threatened to intensify their agitation if the Centre does not immediately announce the formation of the state even as TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Raodeclared he may go on a fast-unto-death.

After a 30-minute meeting with Singh, Rao and Joint Action Committee convener Prof Kodhandaram said they were not satisfied with the Prime Minister's response when he sought "some more time" to decide on the issue.

"The Prime Minister asked us to call off the agitation. We told him it is not in our hands. People are very angry in Telangana and they have even decided not to celebrate festivals. People are dying everyday for the cause of Telangana," he told reporters after his meeting.

Rao said the delegation, that had members from his TRS party and also the JAC, told the Prime Minister that an "expedited" solution to the vexed issue should be found immediately.

"I may go on a fast-unto-death... the date, venue and time would be decided by the Joint Action Committee," he said when asked whether he would again go on a fast.

Rao's 9-day fast in December 2009 had forced the Centre to announce initiation of process for formation of Telangana state. But, later it said the situation had "altered" and emphasised the need for "further consultation".

"He was telling us that he understands the demand, the sentiments and aspirations of the people. But he did not give any assurance to us. He told us that a process is underway and consultations are on and said that will take some more time," he said.

COURTESY: 

Telangana: Uneasy Congress may push for resolution

The status of the Telanganademand for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh remains hazy although Congress has reopened the statehood debate and seems keen to push for a resolution of the vexed political logjam.

Congress's discomfort over Telangana is evident as party delegations and Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhara Rao met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday and asked him to announce a roadmap for fulfilling a Central commitment offered on December 9, 2009, which was later withdrawn.

Rao said the PM did not give any assurance on the statehood demand and expressed dissatisfaction over the meeting. Congress andTRS both charged Andhra CM N Kiran Reddy of misleading people and being apathetic to the Telangana region. Rao said the PM sought an assurance that the agitation would be called off but said he told Singh it was not in his hands as the stir was led by the people.

Sources said Congress leadership is wrestling with the vexed issue that has again brought Telangana to a halt for last 20 days and paralyzed the state for the last two years. While the renewed agitation - laced with threats that it could spiral out of control if a resolution is not expedited - forced Congress to examine its options afresh. But concern over implications of Telangana are holding it back.

The statehood demand is back on table after having been foreclosed as option earlier but there is no change in the variables as opposition from Rayalaseema and Andhra regions is unchanged. The status of Hyderabad, the state capital, is the main roadblock. It's a tricky issue as Hyderabad is not contiguous to the two antagonistic regions and has defied efforts to resolve conflicting claims. Opposition from Hyderabad-based Muslim outfit and Congress ally MIM is a challenge too.

However, the renewed stir that has seen leaders come to Delhi to argue their case and TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao holding a token fast at Rajghat on October 2 has had an effect. Congress and TRS delegations, which met the PM, urged him to grant statehood at the earliest. The PM's request that Telangana activists call off the strike failed to cut any ice while Congress asked him to announce the roadmap to fulfill the 2009 promise.

According to the TRS delegation, comprising Rao and B Vinod Kumar, the PM told them the Centre needs time to talk to other stakeholders while conceding that he understood the sentiments of the aggrieved region. TRS told the PM that Centre could grant a package to the Andhra region in lieu of capital Hyderabad.

The PM told the Congress delegation that he would put the issue before the core group and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. The core group discussed the issue on Friday when general secretary in-charge Ghulam Nabi Azad submitted his report. The Congress delegation, comprising ministers, MPs and MLAs, told the PM they were under pressure to quit government and legislature and that the region was not in a "mood even to celebrate upcoming festivals". They also asked Singh to advise the Andhra CM not to show "apathy" towards Telangana, complaining that he unfairly held the state PCS exams during the agitation. 


COURTESY:

Telangana stir triggers power crisis in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh is facing an unprecedented power crisis as a direct result of the ongoing indefinite general strike by Telangana protagonists.

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh is facing an unprecedented power crisis as a direct result of the ongoing indefinite general strike by Telangana protagonists.

The gap between power demand and supply has widened to 50 million units (MU) per day with the demand touching a peak of 275 MU because of continued dry spell in the state.

During the corresponding period last year, the demand for power was only 223 MU.

Consequently, heavy power cuts are being imposed across the state with industries and agriculture being the worst hit.

While the duration of power shutdown in urban areas is four hours, it is six hours in district headquarters and about ten hours in rural areas.

The government-run Power Transmission Corporation of AP has officially declared a three-day 'power holiday' to industries in the state while it is finding it difficult to ensure seven-hour power supply to the agriculture sector even as reports have come in from districts like Nalgonda, Ranga Reddy and Mahbubnagar in Telangana region that crops have started withering due to non-availability of power.

Thermal power generation at AP Power Generation Corporation's units in the state has now fallen to 3,000 MW as against the installed capacity of 5,093 MW.

The strike in Singareni Collieries coal fields since September 13 as part of the general strike in Telangana, has reduced coal production to 36,700 tonnes per day as against the normal 1.5 lakh tonnes. This has left the thermal power stations dry, leading to severe shortfall in production, according to member Secretary of AP Energy Co-ordination Cell, A Chandrasekhar Reddy.

The National Thermal Power Corporation's unit at Ramagundam in Karimnagar district has been forced to shut down one of its units, resulting in a loss of 500 MW.

The total loss of thermal power due to severe coal deficit is around 56 MU per day (38 MU from AP Genco stations and 18 MU from NTPC's Ramagundam and Simhadri units).

The gas-based power stations are working to only 75% of their plant load factor and generating 36 MU, he said.

Hydel power generation that peaked to 65 MU early last month, due to heavy inflow of flood water into major reservoirs like Srisailam, has now come down to just 39 MU as inflows ceased.

With the Telangana protagonists making it clear that the indefinite general strike would continue till the central Government conceded the demand for creation of a separate state,the state government has decided to purchase 980 MW of power from external sources to tide-over the crisis this month.

"The problem is, even if we want to buy power from the open market, it is not readily available. Our main concern is to ensure that required power is supplied to the agriculture sector and save the standing Kharif crops," chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy pointed out.

He has directed Transco officials to increase the duration of power cuts in urban areas, if required, and supply adequate power to the farms.

The Energy Co-ordination Cell, on the other hand, issued an appeal to people today asking them not to use air-conditioners to reduce power consumption and also conserve energy through other means and "co-operate with the power utilities to overcome the present situation." 

Don't delay decision on Telangana, Karat urges PM

New Delhi: Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat Saturday urged prime minister Manmohan Singh to take a decision on the Telanagana issue immediately.

"Procrastination will only worsen the situation. I would urge you to see that a decision is taken on the matter without any further delay," said Karat said in a letter, which was released to the media.

The CPI-M leader noted that for the past three weeks, the Telengana region has been paralysed by the agitation of the people demanding a separate state.

"It is now nine months since the Srikrishna Committee (which went into the demand for a separate state for Telegana) submitted its report on Telengana and Andhra Pradesh. We had expected that the government of India would take a decision on the matter after considering the report," he said.

"All political parties and various sections of society in Andhra Pradesh had submitted their views to the Srikrishna Committee. Hence, there is no need for further consultations with political parties," Karat said in his letter.

CPM for urgent decision on Telangana issue

New Delhi: Expressing concern over the situation in Andhra Pradesh following the Telangana agitation, CPI(M) on Saturday asked the government to take an urgent decision on the issue saying there was no need for any more consultation with political parties.

"Procrastination will only worsen the situation. I would urge you to see that a decision is taken on the matter without any further delay," CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"All political parties and various sections of society in Andhra Pradesh had submitted their views to the Sri Krishna Committee. Hence, there is no need for further consultations with political parties," he said.

Maintaining that the Telangana region of the state has been "paralysed" by the agitation over the past three weeks, Karat said it was nine months now since the Committee submitted its report on Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

"We had expected that the Government of India would take a decision on the matter after considering the report," the CPI(M) leader said seeking an urgent decision on the matter.

The CPI(M) has been opposed in principle to the division of states created on a linguistic basis, saying that accentuation of uneven development has given a fillip to demands for separate states like Telangana and Vidarbha based on the argument of backwardness.

The party maintains that while it would fight for the development of backward regions, it would adhere to "the principled position of opposition to the division of linguistic states."

Respect the popular demand of Telangana people, Ms. Sonia

Hyderabad, October 01: The Hyderabad-based Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee (CLMC) has urged Congress president and UPA Chairperson Ms Sonia Gandhi to respect the popular demand for a separate Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh, and press the Central government to take immediate steps to fulfill the demand.

In the letter Mr Lateef Mohd Khan, General Secretary, CLMC, has written that the people of Telangana are on General strike for the past 16 days. This is the strike of common people for the formation of Telangana state, which is a democratic demand and determination of a common man.

“In past your government accepted the demand and announced the formation of separate Telangana state. But it is a matter of deep concern that your government has taken back track from its promise. Because of this the sentiments of common people have been badly hurt. It can be understood by the fact that nearly seven hundred people have scarified their lives. Lakhs of government employees are on strike without caring for their jobs and salaries. They are even celebrating the Telangana festival Dussera without their salaries. Schools, offices, buses and everything is closed. Normal life has been paralyzed,” Khan said.

He condemned excessiv use of force to crush the public demand.

“Now police is ruling, human rights have been greatly shattered, civil liberties of the people have been curbed. Telangana activists and leaders have been targeted by brutal attacks. To crush the great movement all kinds of measures have been taken by the government which can be named as undemocratic and unconstitutionally. Condition is so worst that even Ministers and MLAs of your government from Telangana region are being arrested. It is a matter of shock that even after knowing all these facts you have become silent spectator.”

He warned that the situation may go out of control soon, and so the government should take some immediate step.

“Until now general strike is underway in a peaceful manner but now patience is going to cross its limits. And by 1st of October when the government servants will not get their salaries, their patience will be busted, and people will come out on the street, the general strike will get violent and this state will enter into civil war. Finally the time will come when the whole situation will be out of control. Therefore, before the time slips from your hands you must awake yourself and open your mouth and come forward for the popular demand of people of Telangana which is nothing but separate Telangana statehood,” Lateef Mohd Khan wrote.

Minister from Telangana resigns for separate state

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh's Infrastructure Minister Komatireddy Venkata Reddy on Saturday resigned to protest the delay of the Congress leadership in taking a clear decision for formation of a separate Telangana state.
Venkata Reddy, who hails from Nalgonda district of Telangana region, met Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation as minister.

He later also submitted his resignation as member of the state assembly. Another Congress legislator C. Lingaiah also resigned.

Venkata Reddy had set Sep 30 as the deadline for the Congress' central leadership to make a clear-cut announcement on the Telangana issue.

He plans to sit on a day-long fast at Nalgonda Oct 2 and later participate in the movement for a separate state.

Venkata Reddy is the second minister from Telangana to resign over the separate statehood issue.

J. Krishna Rao had resigned as the minister on May 31. The governor had accepted his resignation on the recommendation of Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy.

Telangana stir gains momentum, TRS chief to meet PM, Sushma today

TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao and a delegation of Telangana political Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Friday left for the national capital to press for an early decision in favour of the separate statehood for Telangana.

The delegation would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other important leaders including Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, Rao told reporters in Hyderabad.

"The general strike in the region has entered 18th day today. It has been peaceful. But the state government is trying to make it violent. The attacks on TRS MLAs Harish, Rama Rao and Swamy Goud (a pro-Telangana employees union leader) in the last three-four days prove this. We are going to Delhi to explain the situation here to the Prime Minister and other important leaders like Sushma Swaraj," he said.

The BJP supports the demand for separate Telangana state.

"We will request the Prime Minister to take an early decision on Telangana," he said.

The TRS president has vowed to continue the present agitation till the demand is met.

In New Delhi, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday attended the party core committee meeting, held at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's official residence and attended by senior ministers and leaders.

Since the issue of Telangana is a highly complicated one, the committee has suggested further discussions in the party, in the government and between the government and other parties, a source said.

The 'sakala janula samme' (strike by all sections of people) has badly affected the normal life in the Telangana region.

Centre needs more time to decide on Telangana

Andhra Pradesh government employees participate in a rally to press their demand for a separate Telangana, in Medak on Saturday. Photo: Mohd. Arif

Amid pressure from various quarters for an early decision on Telangana issue, the government on Saturday said more consultations with various parties are needed on the contentious Statehood demand and the exercise would take “some time” to end.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Congress president’s political secretary Ahmed Patel discussed the situation in the Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh at the North Block in New Delhi.

The Telangana Statehood demand, which has divided the Congress in Andhra Pradesh on regional lines, was deliberated at the party’s Core Group meeting on Friday which also discussed a report submitted by Mr. Azad based on his interactions with party lawmakers from the State.

“We are in the process of consultations. Yesterday, we discussed it in the Core Group. Today also, some of my (colleagues) discussed it with me. Further consultations would be needed. We are in the process of it,” Mr. Mukherjee told reporters after the meeting.

He said government was “fully aware” of the gravity of the situation and the agitation which has paralysed life in all the 10 districts of Telangana region, including State capital Hyderabad.

“Therefore, we will have to go for more consultations that will take some time,” he said.

The meeting took place as Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao arrived in New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other leaders to demand an early solution to the Statehood issue.

Mr. Azad said his consultations lasted two months and “it is not an easy decision to be taken.”

“Whatever the decision or resolution, it will take time. We need to take everybody on board. More discussions are needed in this regard with some senior leaders at the national level of some parties and also with some at the state level. This is the progress at the moment,” Azad said.

“Consultations are required and one step will overtake another. One step is over now and the next will start. This will take sometime,” he said.

Congress is caught in a tricky situation in Andhra Pradesh with Telangana region observing an indefinite bandh over the issue of separate Statehood, a demand being opposed by the party in coastal Andhra and Rayalseema regions of the State.

Party leaders from Telangana are camping here for the last few days to press for the demand of separate Statehood.

Mr. Azad has been receiving delegations of Ministers, MPs and MLAs from all the three regions since July and concluded the process on Wednesday.The Congress high command had in July asked Mr. Azad to hold consultations with leaders from Telangana, Rayalseema and coastal Andhra regions on the issue and elicit their views.While Telangana MPs and MLAs have resigned from their respective legislative bodies demanding the Centre and Congress immediately announce the formation of a separate State, their counterparts from the other two regions have opposed any move to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.

During the interactions, the leaders, who are divided deeply along regional lines, had stuck to their known stands.