Power generation in Seemandhra hit as employees on strike

Chief Minister appealed to the agitating employees to resume their duties

Power generation and supply, hospitals, drinking water, railways, automated teller machines (ATMs) were among the services disrupted on Sunday in several parts of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema due to protests following the decision to divide Andhra Pradesh.

In the wake of the stir, the railways cancelled several passenger services. The pilgrim town of Tirumala-Tirupati, where the annual Brahmotsavams were going on, was also affected, officials said. ATMs in Vijayawada and other parts of Krishna district have run out of cash following the closure of cooperative banks since Friday, due to the strike against the division of Andhra Pradesh. A manager of a bank said the situation might improve on Monday.

Curfew was clamped in Vizianagaram town and shoot-at-sight orders issued by district authorities in the wake of Saturday’s large-scale violence by anti-bifurcation agitators, who remained undeterred and indulged in fresh violence on Sunday and clashed with the police.    

Power generation was severely affected at units in Vijayawada and Srisailam areas among others.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has appealed to the striking employees of transmission, generation and distribution companies to resume duties immediately, an official release said.

The strike has hit important services like hospitals, drinking water and railways among others. Public are suffering for no fault of theirs, the chief minister said, and the employees should rethink about their strike on humanitarian grounds and avoid inconveniencing the general public. On the occasion of Brahmotsavams, thousands of pilgrims from all over the world visiting Tirumala are facing inconvenience, he said.

Reddy held a high-level review meeting with senior officials of energy department and power utilities.

He asked the employees of Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited in Krishna, Guntur, Ongole, Nellore, Kurnool, Kadapa, Anantapur and Chittoor districts to call off their strike, considering the Brahmotsavams.

On the directions of the chief minister, the joint executive officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams held discussions with electricity employees leaders and as a result, power supply to Tirumala has been restored, according to sources.

The South Central Railway said several trains have been fully cancelled or regulated in view of the strike by the employees of Andhra Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation.