The Andhra Pradesh government has given an assurance to the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant management that it would extend all possible help to tide over the water crisis faced by the plant, according to a press release.
The assurance was given to P Madhusudan, CMD of the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), who called on Chief Secretary Sathya Prakash Tucker in Hyderabad. Madhusudan briefed the Chief Secretary on the present status of operation of the plant and critical issues related to water.
The Chief Secretary indicated that instructions had been given to the concerned authorities and the water requirement of RINL would be met effectively.
Civic body blamed
In another statement, the Steel Plant Employees’ Union has criticised the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) and the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) for failing to supply enough water to keep the plant going.
J Simhachalam, vice-president of the union, said the steel plant was the major stakeholder in the Visakhapatnam Industrial Water Supply Company and the plant was paying ₹13.50 for 1,000 litre of water. Yet, there was not enough supply from the Yeleru canal to the Kanithi balancing reservoir of the steel plant.
Against the requirement of 40 MGD, only 23 MGD of water was being supplied, making the position critical for the operation of the plant. Immediate steps should be taken by the government to address the water problem, the union leader said.
Source: The Hindu Business Line