Telangana: Curfew in Andhra Pradesh town, power crisis hits state

HYDERABAD/VIZIANAGARAM: Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh today continued to simmer with protests against the proposed bifurcation of the state as curfew remained in place in restive Vizianagaram town and large areas plunged into darkness with electricity employees on strike.


Roiling since the Union Cabinet's October 3 decision to carve out a new state of Telangana, Vizianagaram is under curfew since Saturday night following large-scale violence.

"The situation is under control and peaceful. It (curfew) is continuing. We will again study the situation and take appropriate action," DIG (Visakhapatnam Range) P Umapathi said.

Police have so far arrested 34 persons in connection with the violence and more arrests are likely.

Central paramilitary forces and state police are patrolling Kanyakaparameswari temple junction, Kothapeta, Dasannapeta, Gajularega, BC Colony, V K Agraharam and other parts of the town to prevent any fresh outbreak of violence.

The Seemandhra region as also Hyderabad was reeling under a power crisis with employees of state's electricity generation, transmission and distribution companies on an indefinite strike since yesterday.

The strike has forced cancellation of several trains and also the ongoing 'Brahmotsavams' at Tirumala hills, the abode of Lord Venkateswara at Tirupati.

According to Power System Operation Corporation of Power Grid figures, as many as three transmission lines of 400 kv and another two lines of 400/220 kv had tripped due to the agitations in Seemandhra region.

Hardly 2,990 MW thermal power was produced as against the installed capacity of 6,090 MW. Similarly, power from the hydel generation stood at 1,694 MW against the installed capacity of 3,937 MW. Several gas-based power plants are also not functioning due to gas shortage.

Protests by the pro-united government employees, who are on strike since August 13, continued.

The Cabinet sub-committee on employees issues held talks with the leaders of striking employees today to resolve the deadlock. Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy will meet the representatives of the agitating employees on Wednesday, State's Finance Minister A Ramanarayana Reddy told reporters.

The Chief Minister had yesterday asked employees of Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL) from the Seemadhra districts to call off the strike and resume duty considering the ongoing 'Brahmotsavams' at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD).

The officials of the TTD too held discussions with the employees and power supply to Tirumala was subsequently restored.

The CM had also appealed to the striking employees of power generation, transmission and distribution companies to call off their stir.

Meanwhile, the indefinite fast launched by YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy against the state's proposed bifurcation entered third day today.