Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB/SP)
Udupi, Aug 24: With the twin districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada reeling under power cuts for the last some weeks and both units of UPCL, now owned by Adani Group, shutting down about ten days ago for maintenance as well as due to technical problems, state energy minister D K Shivakumar on Monday August 24 visited the UPCL plant and inspected.
While one of the units of UPCL has been shut for annual maintenance, the other unit stopped functioning after sand and other wastes flowed in along with sea water because of disturbances at sea.
Addressing a press meet after inspecting the plant, D K Shivakumar said that the state is facing a shortage of 3,000 mw of power.
"UPCL units stopped functioning some days back and today I have come to inspect the plant. I have asked the officials to find an alternative solution soon.
"We have already purchased 1,300 mw of power from Telangana on exchange basis and 900 mw from a private firm. Mescom used to get 850 mw of power from UPCL, but now it is facing shortage," he said.
He added that it would take some time to get the UPCL units to operate again, but did not mention any specific deadline.
He further said that lack of rains during the last one week or so had worsened the situation. "If it does not rain for another week, there will be acute problem," he added.
"There is fluctuation in tidal waves and wind power is not enough to generate sufficient electricity," the minister said.
MLA Pramod Madhwaraj urged the minister to ensure that as soon as the operation at UPCL plant restores there would be round-the-clock electricity in Udupi district. Shivakumar assured that this would happen.
Meanwhile, Shashidhar Shetty of Raita Sangha opposed the proposal to expand UPCL and said that no such proposal has been notified by the government.
"There is already enough of problems to environment and water contamination in 10 to 12 villages including Santoor, Nandikur, Belman and others because of UPCL. If the plant is expanded further, people will face more problems," he said.
He also urged D K Shivakumar to convert UPCL into a gas-based plant, but the minister rejected the proposal saying it was neither cost-effective nor an easy task.
Asked about the alleged pollution caused by UPCL, Shivakumar said that it was not for him to answer on that as there is a state Pollution Control Board to handle such matters.
"Farmers are affected the most by power cuts. In future we may have to change the crop pattern if we are not able to meet the rising demand for power," he said.
He also said that the chief minister during his meeting with the Prime Minister will request the centre to provide 1,500 mw of power to the state. "I too will meet the union energy minister and place a demand for 2,000 mw of power for Karnataka," Shivakumar said, adding that the state government would support generation of power from other sources too.
Jayanand Bhat of UPCL made a powerpoint presentation on UPCL.
Meanwhile, it is said that after UPCL was taken over, Adani Group has made improvements in the plant. At the same time, an amount of about Rs 1,200 crore is due to the company from the government towards power supplied by it.
It is gathered that Mescom, which looks after power supply to Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga districts, is facing a shortage of about 50 percent. As against the daily requirement of 850 mw, it is able to get only 400 to 500 mw as several generation units have either shut down production or facing problems. At present, rural places under Mescom are facing power cuts extending to five to six hours every day, while urban centres go without power for two to three hours on an average. Shortage of rainfall has made the problem more critical.