Jayalalithaa: power shortage will gradually disappear from June

She targets DMK, Congress during campaign at Sankarankoil

CHENNAI, 12/02/2012: Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa addressing after inaugurating the Toshiba JSW Supercritical Steam Turbine and Generation Manufacturing Plant at Manali on Sunday. Photo: R_Ragu

Power shortage in Tamil Nadu will gradually disappear, beginning June, as the government is working overtime to ensure the early commissioning of upcoming projects, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said on Wednesday.

Launching her whirlwind campaign for the Sankarankoil by-election at Thiruvenkatam, Ms. Jayalalithaa said that her government had been taking sincere and sustained efforts, ever since it returned to power in May, to augment the State's power generation, which was in bad shape owing to “callous, corrupt and inefficient governance” of the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam regime.

Efforts to purchase power from private companies to improve the present situation did not fructify. The Udangudi Thermal Power Project, which remained on paper as long as the DMK was in power, would be executed.

As part of the remedial measures being taken by the AIADMK government, work on North Chennai (600 MW), Vallur Units I and II (500 MW each), Unit III of Mettur Thermal Power Project (600 MW) and North Chennai Unit II (600 MW) had been expedited.

“Tamil Nadu, now grappling with power crunch owing to the DMK's five-year-long inept administration, will get 1,950 MW additional power in June following the sustained measures being taken by us. Hence, the power situation will improve gradually from June. Moreover, another 600 MW will be added by October.

“Since I'm personally supervising the progress being made in the completion of upcoming power projects and implementation of new programmes, power scarcity will soon vanish,” she said amid thunderous applause from crowds. Mano College at Sankarankoil would soon get a permanent building. Steps had been taken to augment the quantum of drinking water being supplied in the Maanur combined drinking water scheme and establish a new arts and science college at Sankarankoil. Though Vaiko's Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Vijayakant's Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam are also in the battle of ballot at Sankarankoil, she targeted only the DMK and its ally Congress.