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HYDERABAD: Irate farmers attacked electricity installations and offices across the State as the power supply situation turned critical for the second time during this season on Tuesday in the wake of a severe shortage of 10 million units a day.

Power utilities could supply only 150 mu, against an unrestricted demand of over 160 mu. A beleaguered APTransco was forced to persist with the four-hour power cut in villages and towns to meet the huge demand.

Opposition parties intensified their agitation against `mismanagement' of the power utilities and demanded nine hours of supply to farmers. The State Government was relieved to some extent when the Centre agreed to give 115 MW to the State from the Kaiga Atomic station. This followed a meeting that Power Minister Mohd. Ali Shabbir had with the Union Minister for Energy S. K. Shinde in New Delhi on Tuesday evening.

Another relief is likely on Thursday when three units of Kothagudem station (470 MW) are expected to resume generation.

Earlier in the day, BJP workers led by the City MLA G. Kishen Reddy staged a noisy protest outside Mr. Shabbir Ali's residence in Banjara Hills.

As they rejected the Minister's attempts to pacify them, police took the BJP supporters, including Mr. Reddy, into custody.

Elswhere, CPI workers attacked an electricity sub-station at Kothagudem while Telugu Desam supporters went on a rampage at a sub-station in Sarvapuram in Karimnagar district.

Farmers staged demonstrations outside sub-stations in Mydukur, Badwel and Vontimitta in Kadapa district.

YSR reviews situation

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, now in Kadapa, reviewed the situation with senior officials.

A variety of factors have precipitated the present situation. Only 6,000 MW (total installed capacity 11,186 MW) is available, as several units have been closed, either due to gas shortage or for overhauling. Also, only 350 MWs is being generated from Srisailam against Mr. Shabbir Ali's promise of 800 MW.

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