Electrical wires stolen in tribal areas of Vizag: Minister

Hyderabad, Feb 24 (UNI) Admitting that electrical wires were being stolen in the agency areas of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh Energy Minister Mohd Ali Shabeer today told the state assembly that bills were not being issued to customers under such circumstances.

Replying to G Demudu(CPI) and others, the Minister said power supply was restored to 23 villages in the tribal areas. For the balance 54 villages, supply would be restored by next month.

The complaints were lodged with the police abount the theft, he said, assuring the members that power tariff would not be collected when there was no power supply due to occurrence of theft of conductors.

Mr Shabeer replied in the negative to another question from T Padma Rao whether the Government was aware that several deaths due to negligent attitude of the electricity department officials and due to hanging of high and low tesion wires in low-lying areas of twin cities.

Later, he said the Government was considering laying of underground electric cables in the entire twin cities in phases.

UNI SM KVV 1855