Hyderabad: There is no respite from power woes for people of Seemandhra as electricity employees continued their strike for the fifth day on Thursday, demanding the Centre to take back its decision to divide Andhra Pradesh.
Power generation and transmission remained crippled in all 13 districts of Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra), causing severe hardships to people, badly affecting medical services, disrupting movement of trains and bringing the industrial production to a halt.
Another round of talks are scheduled Thursday between leaders of striking employees and Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy. The talks Tuesday night had failed as the employees refused to call off the strike till a firm assurance that the state will not be bifurcated.
Over 30,000 electricity employees are participating in the strike, which has paralysed generation of 4,000 Megawatt at all thermal and hydel power plants in Seemandhra.
Power cuts in Seemandhra caused misery to patients in government-run and even private hospitals. Hospitals were even forced to postpone surgeries. (IANS)