Senthilbalaji dares Annamalai to file cases in court

CHENNAI: Electricity Minister V Senthilbalaji on Wednesday dared BJP state president K Annamalai to file a case in the court if he had evidence and courage to prove the charges against him.

He dismissed the BJP leader’s comment saying that he was trying to grab headlines by making frivolous allegations. Annamalai on Wednesday claimed the ruling DMK dispensation’s move to hike power tariff steeply has thrust a fiscal burden on the common man and accused the government of purchasing power from private producers after reducing the generation through the state power plants, a charge refuted by Electricity Minister Senthilbalaji. The state achieved a record generation of 5,689 MW through wind turbines, including a single-day generation of 120 MU on July 9 besides a maximum of 3,633 MW through solar plants, including a single-day generation of 27 MU on July 1. Steps have been taken to expedite the expansion of the projects at north Chennai and Ennore by March-end next year, he told reporters.

He said that five district collectors have responded to Tangedco’s letter to identify land for solar parks. “Collectors of Tiruvarur, Karur, Salem, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram have identified a total of 3,273 acres. We have ordered our officials to take steps to purchase the land immediately,” he said after a review at Tangedco HQ.