Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)leader and former Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya today asked the Centre to allocate sufficient gas to the gas based power projects in Andhra Pradesh. In a letter, addressed to Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas S Jaipal Reddy, a copy of which was released to media here, Mr Dattatreya said more than seven gas based power projects–G V K, Spectrum, Lanco, Vemagiri, Gautami and Konaseema — had been established in East Godavari district with a captive power of 2900 MW. As there was short of supply of gas, the power projects could generate only 1300 MW power, he claimed. Mr Dattatreya said there was an acute shortage of power in the state and due to it around 1,60,000 small and medium industries and the agriculture depending on bore wells were affected.
He said if the same situation persisted, they will announce lay-off the industries following which lakhs of workers and farmers will be worst sufferers. Mr Dattatreya also requested the Minister to conduct detailed enquiry on Reliance company’s well no D6 of natural gas unit near Kakinada which was wontedly down seizing the production of gas to create artificial shortage. The capacity of the well was 50MMCM and the production was not more then 30 MMCM, he said.
Former Chief Minister Late Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy announced that a 1000 MW gas based power plant will come up at ShankarPally in Ranga Reddy district. Further Mr Reddy promised to supply domestic gas directly to houses through pipleline. The present government also promised to install gas based power project of 2100 MW at Karimnagar. Unless the gas was allocated, the projects could not be executed, Mr Dattatreya remarked. UNI