Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy cancels visit to Srisailam after fire mishap

AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday (August 21) cancelled his scheduled trip to Srisailam following a fire accident in the left bank powerhouse on the neighbouring Telangana side late Thursday night.

The Chief Minister was supposed to conduct puja for the new Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme. He was scheduled to reach Srisailam at 11 am and conduct an inspection of the project site.

A review meeting with Water Resources Department officials was also planned. A CMO release said the Chief Minister cancelled the trip following the fire mishap in the left bank power house.

Expressing grief over the incident, he directed the AP officials to extend all required assistance to their Telanagna counterparts to handle the situation.

Two teams comprising 20 members including three officials of Singareni Collieries Company Limited, a state-owned coal miner, have left for Srisailam Hydel Electric Power project in which nine persons are trapped due to a fire accident, a senior official of SCCL said. "The teams are experts in rescuing people trapped in irrespirable conditions. We have equipment that can allow our personnel where there are poisonous gases and no oxygen also. The teams can go even if there is dense smoke," SCCL General Manager (Rescue) S Venkateswarlu told PTI.

At least 9 persons are feared trapped in Srisailam Left bank hydroelectric station located underground on the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border after a fire broke out on Thursday night, officials said on Friday.

Though the fire was put off, thick smoke engulfed the tunnel where the power plant is located, hampering the rescue operations.