Opposition walkout in Assembly over power crisis

CPI-M led LDF opposition today staged a walkout in the Assembly protesting against Speaker G Karthikeyan's refusal to entertain an adjournment motion on the power crisis despite Power Minister Aryadan Muhammed's assurance to lift the present 30-minutes load shedding.

Replying to the notice for the motion moved by former Power Minister A K Balan (CPI-M), Muhammed said the state was forced to impose 30-minutes power regulation in some places during peak hours due to about 450 mw fall in power supply from Centre pool.

He said the power crisis began on September 29 and state Electricity Board has already imposed certain restrictions on supply with day-time load shedding now lifted.

On opposition's criticism for imposing a surcharge of 25 paise per unit for consumption of more than 120 units, Muhammed said it was as per the order of State Electricity Regulatory Commission on an application filed by the previous LDF government.

There was a short supply of about 400 mw power from the Centre due to fall in production at Ramagundam power plant following Telangana agitation and also because of problem at Neyveli and Talcher Power Plants, he said.