HC issues notice to TANGEDCO on plea to shut power supply

The Madras High Court has ordered issuance of notice to authorities of TANGEDCO and TANTRANSCO Ltd on a petition seeking suspension of power supply to high tension lines at two places here to enable the transportation of a vacuum chamber to the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR) at Sriharikota.
When the petition by Kalaivani Transport, Chennai, which was awarded the contract to transport the ODC Vacuum Chamber weighing 149 metric tonnes to SHAR centre, came up recently, Justice M Duraiswamy issued notice to Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation and Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation returnable by 2 weeks.
It was alleged that when a representation was made to TANGEDCO, North Chennai on May 24, for turning off the power, the authorities had issued a letter directing them to pay Rs 54 lakh towards shut down charges.

Though a similar request was made by the Deputy Director of SHAR Centre to the Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation, no action was taken by the authorities, it was claimed.
The Sathish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh had placed an order with KCP Limited, Thiruvottiyur for supply of the vacuum chamber.
Subsequently, the transport contract was given to the petitioner.

While so, the petitioner had obtained permission from the police for the same.
However, the vehicle carrying the chamber could not proceed further at Manali owing to the presence of high tension power line, and again between Minjur and Ponneri road, in order to avoid any untoward incidents, the petitioner submitted.

He alleged that when a representation was made to TANGEDCO for turning off power, the authorities had issued a letter directing them to pay Rs 54 lakh towards shut down charges.
A similar request was made by the Deputy Director of SHAR Centre to the Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation, no action was taken by the authorities, he added.
The petitioner then moved the high court praying for a direction to the authorities concerned to shut down the power lines to enable the smooth passage of the vehicle carrying the chamber.