Hyderabad:
The Centre's decision to create a new Telangana state has paralysed Andhra Pradesh with blackouts severely affecting essential services and hampering normal life across the state. Hospitals in the Seemandhra region have been hit hard by the steadily worsening power situation due to the ongoing strike by thousands of employees protesting against the bifurcation of the state.
Here are the latest developments:
Essential health services across the state have been badly hit. Incubators at King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam's only super-specialty government hospital, are not working properly, with the hospital having back-up of barely a few hours. Lack of air conditioners has affected patients with burn injuries and other such ailments. (Let hospitals function, appeals hapless father)
Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy has called the electricity union representatives for talks. They are expected to get back to work soon. The Union Cabinet is also expected to meet over the power situation in Andhra Pradesh. Speaking to NDTV, the minister of state for power, Jyotiraditya Scindia, said while the Centre was monitoring the situation closely, electricity was the state government's responsibility. (Live updates)
Though power has been restored in West and East Godavari districts, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam, the ongoing strike by 30,000 power sector employees has left a larger part of the state crippled. The chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala have written to the central electricity authority warning of possible tripping in their states due to feared collapse of the southern grid.(Pics: protests for united Andhra)
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has said, "I am monitoring the situation and I am in constant touch with Chief Minister. There is no threat to the southern grid as yet." Mr Shinde also reiterated the Congress stand that Chandrababu Naidu and Jagan Mohan Reddy, currently fasting over the Telangana issue in Delhi and Hyderabad respectively, had agreed to formation of a separate state earlier. (Chandrababu targets Sonia)
Congress MP from Vijaywada, L Rajagopal, has moved the Supreme Court for quashing the Centre's decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.
Tirupati and Vijayawada airports are running on backup power. The Vijayawada-based 1760 MW Narla Tata Rao Thermal Power Station, for the first time in its history, has completely shut down, with all seven generating units stopped. State capital Hyderabad is also witnessing blackouts.
Most industrial establishments and shops are running on backup power. Drinking water supply, train services, petrol availability and hospital services are all badly hit. 150 diesel locomotives are being used to run passenger and express trains while goods trains are stranded at various stations.
The precautionary curfew in Vizianagram in coastal Andhra Pradesh - epicentre of united Andhra protests - continues for the fourth day today, following violence last week.
Congress leaders and ministers from Seemandhra met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday evening after many of them resigned to protest against Telangana. Chiranjeevi, who resigned as Tourism Minister, said, "The PM is yet to accept our resignation. He has asked for more time."(Watch: doublespeak on Telangana)
The Congress has indicated it will not change its mind over Telangana. Party leader Digvijaya Singh expressed surprise at what he called a u-turn by Jagan and Chandrababu Naidu. "Congress is a national party, how can it change its decision?" he said.
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