Harish Rao warns switching pumps on and off will damage KLIP motors

Former minister T Harish Rao warned that switching the KLIP pumps on and off daily could damage their motors. He accused the Congress government of negligence, citing BHEL experts’ advice, and alleged that pumps were run only during ministerial visits.

Siddipet: Former Minister T Harish Rao on Sunday warned that the practice of switching the Nandimedaram and Gayatri pumps on and off would cause severe damage to their motors.

Speaking to reporters, Harish Rao said the pumps, with a capacity of 150 to 200 MW each, were being switched on at 7 am and turned off by 5 pm daily, a practice that could damage the bearings. He pointed out that even BHEL experts had cautioned the irrigation authorities and the government against such operations, but the Congress government had failed to mend its ways.

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Accusing the government of trying to malign the image of the BRS and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, he asked: “Were they doing it due to negligence, or is it a conspiracy?”

He alleged that the irrigation department operated the pumps only during the visit of Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy to Choppadandi, and switched them off as soon as the Minister left in a helicopter.

Harish Rao added that there was no shortage of power supply since all hydroelectric plants on the Krishna river were in full operation.