Decision to shut Vijayawada Thermal Power Station foolish, fumes Congress

Vijayawada: The decision of the YSRCP government to close down the Narla Tatarao Thermal Power Station (NTTPS) at Vijayawada which is producing 1,200 mw per day on the pretext of environment pollution is foolish, said Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Sake Sailajanath.

He said in a statement here on Saturday that the power station which was then called Vijayawada Thermal Power Station (VTPS) was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The decision would render 5,000 employees jobless and indirectly 20,000 people were depending on it for their livelihood.

He suggested that a mere investment of Rs 300 crore would be enough to modernise the plant to meet the necessary specifications. The PCC chief, stating that the NTTPS has been using 30,000 tonne coal every year, demanded the testing of the quality of coal used by the NTTPS by an independent agency. "It is high time for steps to be implemented to protect the public sector undertakings," he said.

Dr Sailajanath flayed the government's move to auction the government land of 19 acres from May 28 for three days at Visakhapatnam and Guntur at a reserve price of Rs 200 crore.