No Worry on Political Power: Shobha Promises Electric Power
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Oct 19: Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and the ruling BJP may be worried about retaining political power in the state due to the uncertainty over the outcome of the High Court’s decisions on the disqualification of 11 BJP MLAs and 5 Independents. However, the newly inducted energy minister Shobha Karandlaje is more concerned about ensuring electric power to the people until the end of summer.
Shobha Karandlaje, who is considered quite close to Yeddyurappa and had to dropped from the cabinet when the Bellary mining lords – G Janardhana Reddy and company – launched a dissidence war demanding change of leadership in the state last year, announced that the state will be buying 1,200 MW of power daily till this month end on account of Dasara festivities.
With Rajyothsava and Deepavali celebrations due next month, the minister said the government would be buying 1000 MW everyday till the end of May 2011 as the state was reeling under a severe energy crisis.
Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, she said a decision has been taken to buy an additional 200 MW of power daily till this month-end to meet the increased demand for power during the Dasara festival.
From November to May 2011, the government would buy 1000 MW daily, she announced.
A sum of Rs 350 crore would be required per month to purchase 1000 MW daily from the private power producers and the Central grid, she said.
All private producers have been instructed to supply power to the state for five months from January.
Power would be purchased from sugar units that have co-generation facility at price of Rs 4.50 per unit, she said.
To ensure adequate supply of power to irrigation pump-sets and industries daily, the minister said a decision was taken to purchase power from private parties at higher costs
The state had received good rains during the monsoon but the water stored at reservoirs was not being fully exploited now keeping in mind the demand for power during summer, Karandlaje said.
Out of seven units at the Raichur Thermal Power Station, only five units have been generating power now. An expert team has been asked to study the technical problems at the RTPS and submit a report in a month. A sum of Rs 1 crore would be released to the team for submission of the report, she said.
The thermal power plant at Udupi has been generating only 600 MW against its installed capacity of 1200 MW.
Several initiatives have been taken to reduced transmission and distribution loss from the present 17 per cent to two per cent, the minister added.
Shobha trashes Siddaramaiah’s charges
Shobha Karandlaje lashed out at Opposition Congress leader Siddaramaiah for levelling baseless charges of offering money of Rs 50 crore to Congress MLAs to engineer defection by the BJP and challenged him to provide documents or evidences to prove charges.
Baseless statements by Siddaramaiah would not enhance the reputation of the post he was holding in the Legislative Assembly. “Let him (Sidaramaih) prove his charge of horse trading by the BJP with evidences. They are like a hit and run case,” she said.
The minister accused the Congress and the JD(S) of destabilising the Yeddyurappa government to come to power through the backdoor.
Leaders of Opposition parties have indulged in horse trading to defeat the government during the trust vote and this has been known to people of the state, she said.
Siddaramaiah alleged that 53 of its 73 MLAs have been offered money and a ministerial berth by BJP leaders to win the trust vote for the Yeddyurappa government on October 14.