'T' agitation brings darkness in TN, Karnataka

Hyderabad, Oct 1: The current agitation in Telangana over the sentiments for a separate state has reached the level where the entire South India is under the threat of darkness since Singareni Collieries, the major producer of coal has remained paralysed. Hence, this has been affecting the electricity generation and this could just be the beginning of a power shortage that threatens the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) run 2600 MW Ramagundam plant was shut down following disruption of coal supply due to the strike of workers at Singareni Collieries in support of Telangana. The TNEB faces a shortage of 780 MW as its share from the Ramagundam thermal plant.

The people of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are the latest victims of the ongoing agitation. The people of TN are being put through an additional half hour (besides the existing two-hour load shedding) power outage by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board.

In Karnataka, the separate statehood agitation has worsened the power crisis and the state is set to start buying power from Punjab from Saturday, as said by Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje.

"We have no option other than buying power from other states like Punjab. We will start purchasing 300 MW daily from Punjab tomorrow (Saturday) itself," Karandlaje had said.

OneIndia News