Karnataka sends 500 powermen and equipment to help Andhra Pradesh
The deployment aims to repair electricity infrastructure damaged by Cyclone Arnab following a request from the Andhra Pradesh government.
The Karnataka government has dispatched 500 skilled powermen and specialised machinery to Andhra Pradesh to repair power infrastructure damaged by Cyclone Arnab, according to ANI and The News Mill.
The assistance follows a request from the Andhra Pradesh government. Chief Minister D K Shivakumar spoke with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to offer support during the crisis.
The deployment includes 15 Palfinger trucks featuring earth augers and cranes, alongside 25 drilling machines mounted on tractors. These teams left Karnataka on Monday afternoon and arrived in the neighbouring state by midnight.
Energy Minister K J George is supervising the operation. To manage the work, each Electricity Supply Company (ESCOM) has designated a single point of contact to liaise with Andhra Pradesh officials.
The personnel are organised into 10-member teams led by an Assistant Engineer or Junior Engineer. An Executive Engineer from each Operation and Maintenance circle will oversee the entire deployment.
Karnataka is providing contingency funds to cover the travel and accommodation costs for the workers. Chief Minister Shivakumar stated that restoring electricity is an urgent requirement for the well-being of those affected by the disaster.