The neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are involved in yet another fresh dispute, this time over electricity.
The Andhra Pradesh government has reportedly stopped power supply to the Telangana government, after the latter allegedly failed to pay dues worth Rs 3,500 crore.
The New Indian Express reported that Telangana was not worried, as it already had surplus power, and the pre-monsoon showers in the state had brought down the demand.
Stating that there is no budgetary provisions to repay the Andhra government this year, the TNIE report adds that the state would take a decision on the directive of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Reports add that Telangana approximately gets 400 MW from Andhra everyday.
“AP and Telangana are in dispute for a long time now relating to payment of dues. Our officials have written to them many times asking them to ensure that the payments are made," AP Power Minister Kala Venkata Rao told the Times of India.
To make matters worse, TS-Genco reportedly suspended the supply of coal from the Singareni Collieries to Andhra recently, claiming that the latter did not pay its due.
Stating that the TS-Genco was 'unwilling' to repay the money to its Andhra counterpart, Ajay Jain, Andhra's Principal Secretary (Energy), told The Hindu, “There was no coal supply from Singareni for a month because we could not make the pending payments. It was only after we paid back the entire amount that coal supply resumed from Singareni."
When contacted by PTI, TS Transco chairman and managing director D Prabhakar Rao said, "We owe them some amount but not to the extent as claimed by them. They also owe us by way of dues. We are servicing some of their debt component. That has to be discussed. So we will have to sit and settle the issue."