Officials rule out damage to Rabi crops

James Edwin Warangal: There is no question of losing Rabi crops under NPDCL jurisdiction, asserted the chairman and managing director of NPDCL Karthikeya Misra.A He expressed confidence that the standing crops will be protected despite a huge gap between demand and supply. There has been a whopping gap of 700 MW of power in demand and supply under Northern Power Distribution Company Limited (NPDCL). The ideal power supply position of NPDCL is 2100 MW but the average supply position is around 1400 MW. The distribution pattern is designed in such a manner that seven hours power is supplied for irrigation needs in 24-hour cycle to feed standing crops like paddy, maize and others in Telangana region, he said speaking to The Hans India here on Saturday. The NPDCL officials have closely been monitoring the crop position in association with the district collectors and agriculture officials of Khammam, Warangal, Adilabad, Karimnagar and Nizamabad, he said. Under NPDCL there are 46 lakh consumers of all categories of which farmers comprise about 9.4 lakh. The NPDCL has to distribute 1400 MW among the agriculture, domestic and industrial consumers. "In view of shortage of power, ensuring seven hour supply to irrigation needs will be a challenge and the NPDCL will face it," he said adding that the next 30 days would be a testing time. "We will see through crops of the Rabi," Misra said adding that by the end of April first week paddy and maize would be harvested and thereafter the supply needs of rice mills would be looked after, he explained. As per government directions the NPDCL has supplied power to 565 intermediate examination centres under its limits.