No forest permission hits power supply to agriculture in Kadapa
A 2.7 km of power line is to be built through Nallamala forests for uninterrupted supply of electricity in the region
KADAPA: Lack of permission from the Forest Department in the Kadapa district is obstructing the nine-hour uninterrupted supply of electricity to agriculture.
Power supply for agriculture in Porumamilla, Badvel, Mydukur, Siddavatam and Vontimitta areas has been getting severely disrupted frequently. To overcome this, a new 65-km power line was proposed three years ago. This line has been completed to a distance of about 62.3 km. Only 2.7 km of line is to be built through Nallamala forests.
A total of 10 power towers are to be constructed along this route. Electricity officials maintain that once this power line is completed, they will be able supply uninterrupted power to Vontimitta and Siddavatam in Rajampet constituency, as well as to areas in Badvel and Mydukur assembly constituencies.
The existing electrical line was laid 20 years ago to supply power from Kadapa 220 KV substation to the Vontimitta 132 KV substation. The line runs for about 18 km through forest lands. The line was laid as per requirements of that time, with the wire able to withstand a load of up to 70 MW. With power demand increasing tremendously, the line is tripping frequently.
Officials say power requirements from Vontimitta to Porumamilla, Atmakuru and other places cannot be met unless the line is able to take 110 to 120 MW of load. When the issue was brought to the attention of state authorities, they granted permission to construct a 220 KV line from Talamanchipatnam 420 KV substation in Jammalamadugu Mandal to Mekavaripalle 220 KV substation in Porumamilla mandal. The work started three years ago and is almost complete. Only a 2.7-km line through Nallamala forest near Mekavaripalle is to be laid. However, work on it has remained stalled for almost a year due to lack of permissions from the Forest Department.
AP Transco chief engineer Sake Sriramulu and Superintendent Engineer Nallabothula Srinivasulu of Kadapa, speaking to Deccan Chronicle, said Rs. 4-crore compensation has already been paid to the Forest Department.
However, the department is seeking another Rs. 4.5 crore for Wildlife Protection. The officials said AP Transco has requested to waive the additional amount, but the Forest Department has refused.
“We have already sent proposals for the additional amount, which may be sanctioned soon,” Transco officials said. Proddatur forest officer M. Nagarjuna Reddy told Deccan Chronicle that once Rs. 4.5 crore is paid, Forest Department would grant the permission accordingly.