From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jan 5: The Siddaramaiah regime plans to float tenders to buy 1000 mw of power to ensure uninterrupted power supply during summer months, which also happen to be the peak period for campaigning for the forthcoming assembly elections in Karnataka.
Karnataka’s Energy Minister D K Shivakumar, who spoke to reporters in Bengaluru on Friday, the State Government will call for tenders to buy 1000 MW of power.
He said the State Government was left with no alternative due to short supply of coal and some of the dams still not being full to the brim for generating hydel power.
Shivakumar said the State Government would purchase 1000 MW daily at a cost of Rs 4.80 per unit to make sure that students appearing for exams and thousands of industries, factories, offices and domestic consumers don’t suffer or blame the energy department for power disruption.
Stoutly denying that the State government was buying power and coal with an eye on the coming Legislative Assembly polls, he said “this is no election gimmick.”
The State Energy Department has called tenders to purchase 10 lakh tonnes of coal.
Responding to Union Power Minister R K Singh’s statement that Karnataka has not contacted the Ministry seeking supply of coal, the minister pointed out he and Chief Minister had written several letters to the Union Power Ministry seeking allocation of coals to power plants in the State.
"How do we contact the Union Power Ministry for coal supplies other than writing official letters?,’’ he asked.
The Centre has deliberately meted out step-motherly treatment to the State, the minister alleged and said the people of the State were fully aware of the situation due to shortage of coal supplies.
During April-December 2017, he said the supplied coal was 63.09 lakh tonnes against the allocation of 119.57 lakh tonnes.
A total of 55.07 lakh tonnes of coal would be required to the State during January-March 2017, Shivakumar explained.
Karnataka is expecting 45.22 lakh tonnes of coal during the period, which meant a shortfall of 12.88 lakh tonnes, he said.