Andhra Pradesh is battling a severe power crisis that has emerged as the biggest fallout of protests against a new Telangana state. The indefinite protests by over 30,000 power sector employees from the Seemandhra region has hit hospitals and trains, unleashing most choatic conditions in many southern states.
Long power cuts had virtually paralysed hospitals in the Seemandhra region, many of who were using generators. At the government-run King George hospital, wards where babies are being treated were in emergency mode all of yesterday, as incubators could not work.
Most of the trains are running late and many have been cancelled because the power cuts. Internet , ATM services of banks and mobile phone services are down in large parts of the state.
Two important political leaders YSR Congress leader Jagan Mohan Reddy N Chandrababu Naidu of Telugu Desam Party are on fast against Telangana for last several days..
Latest developments during the day does not gives any signal for easy solution. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh told that power for emergency services has been restored in Seemandhra.
Congress leader Digvijaya Singh added that Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy
will meet again with representatives of unions for power plants, who went on strike on Friday against the decision to carve out Telangana. The group of ministers set up to look into the sharing of resources and other possible hurdles in the formation of Telangana will hold its first meeting on Friday.
The Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala have written to the Centre warning of the possibility black out for all southern states ,because Andhra Pradesh's contribution to the Southern Grid has dropped severely.
Though the Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has ruled out the option of central rule in the state from the time being but they are is considering imposing the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to force employees to return to work.
The ruling Congress is most worried to save its sinking ship in the state,as it has has some hope in Telangana , its leader Dig sir has said it won't change its decision, and accused both Jagan Mohan Reddy and Mr Naidu of changing their stand on Telangana with an eye on polls due by May.