No respite for Seemandhra from power woes

There is no respite from power woes for people of Seemandhra as electricity employees continued their strike for the fifth day Thursday, demanding the Centre to take back its decision to divide Andhra Pradesh.

Power generation and transmission remained crippled in all 13 districts of Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra), causing severe hardships to people, badly affecting medical services, disrupting movement of trains and bringing the industrial production to a halt.

Another round of talks are scheduled Thursday between leaders of striking employees and Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy. The talks Tuesday night had failed as the employees refused to call off the strike till a firm assurance that the state will not be bifurcated.

Over 30,000 electricity employees are participating in the strike, which has paralysed generation of 4,000 Megawatt at all thermal and hydel power plants in Seemandhra.

According to reports reaching the state capital, electricity is being supplied to major towns during night time but majority of small towns and villages remain in dark. It is also having its impact on Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana with authorities imposing three to six hour power cuts.

Power cuts in Seemandhra caused misery to patients in government-run and even private hospitals. Hospitals were even forced to postpone surgeries.

Over six lakh government employees and teachers continued their strike in Seemandhra on 59th day. During the talks with the chief minister Wednesday, their leaders had refused to call off the strike till they get a clear assurance that state will remain united.

The strike has brought the official machinery to a standstill, causing a huge revenue loss to the government. The government-run schools remain shut for nearly two months while over 12,000 buses of state-owned Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) remained off the roads.

Protests against the decision to carve out separate Telangana state continued on 72nd day across Seemandhra. It was after July 30 decision of the Congress party that protests had started in the two regions. It intensified after the Union Cabinet approved formation of Telangana state last week.