-CM greed destroyed AP power sector: ex MLA
-ERC violated its constitutional obligations
AMARAVATI: TDP former MLA Dhulipalla Narendra Kumar on Wednesday expressed surprise whether the AP Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) was working to protect the power consumers or the Government.
Narendra Kumar strongly objected to the ERC covering up CM Jagan Mohan Reddy’s policies that were destroying the power sector as a whole.
Addressing a press conference here, the TDP leader said the ERC was making statements that should have been made by the Government to support its anti-people policies. This was in total violation of the duties of the ERC in its capacity as a constitutional institution.
Narendra Kumar said the ERC was issuing a variety of orders in recent times that were solely aimed at serving the personal interests of the Chief Minister. The ERC order that should be in effect from April 8 to 22 was still in force. Jagan Reddy’s greedy and corrupt policies had turned AP into ‘Andhakaraandhra Pradesh’ (darkness filled AP).
The TDP ex MLA reminded that the electricity load relief, discharge and power cuts were a concern of the Government but not the APERC. All people were suffering in darkness due to the selfishness of the Chief Minister. The inventors and industrialists were falling victim to the power holidays of the ruling party.
Narendra Kumar slammed the ERC for protecting the Government by ordering that power should not be purchased in the open market at more than Rs. 12 per unit. How could it give such an order when the industries, students and general consumers were facing so many problems?
The TDP leader said the ground situation was totally contrary to the claims of the Chief Minister that 9 hour power supply was being ensured to agriculture. Actually, only 7 hours supply was being given. It was also not being supplied uninterruptedly. Aqua farmers were suffering heavy losses due to erratic power.
Narendra Kumar asserted that going by the ERC order, it was clear that the AP Government had achieved power cuts and power holidays like in no other State in the country. During the Chandrababu regime, the people had never seen power holidays.
The TDP leader said Jagan Reddy had set aside the solar power companies in AP and started purchasing power from Adani Solar in Gujarat at Rs. 4 per unit. The CM’s policies towards the AP State thermal plants had created a crisis in the power sector.
