Bengaluru, DHNS: Dismissing the reports of power shortage in drought-affected areas in the state, Energy minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said that farmers were supplied with sufficient power for running irrigation pumpsets.

Addressing the media in Bengaluru on Thursday, Shivakumar said that the Opposition was unnecessarily making noise about poor quality power supply, and demanded that these claims be proven.

The minister said that he had instructed officials to provide new connections for drinking water supply within 24 hours, and that, so far, the department had not received any complaints in this regard.

Shivakumar also said that rural areas were being supplied with three-phase power for six hours.

When asked about power cuts in Bengaluru, he attributed the power outages to technical glitches in supply lines near HAL and inside Nimhans.
The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has damaged a 220kV power line near HAL. Both lines would be repaired by the end of April, the minister added.

Power sops for Kadur

Shivakumar convened a meeting of managing directors of KPTCL, Bescom, Mescom and Cesc, to address power issues in Kadur of Chikkamagalur district. JD(S) MLA Y S V Datta, who represents the constituency, had aired the problems faced by the people of Kadur in the Legislative Assembly, where he had even threatened to resign, if the Energy department didn’t resolve the problems.

Shivakumar said that the MLA had put forth nine demands, all of which have been met. Kadur will get three new sub-stations. As an ad hoc measure, 13 temporary link lines will be set up till the works on sub-station are completed, he added.

The minister has also agreed to set up a Rs 100 crore 20 MW solar power plant in Kadur. Overall, Kadur has bagged projects worth Rs 150 crore, which has increased the capacity from the existing 40 MW to 80 MW.