Hyderabad: Responding to criticism by TRS leaders that Centre has been showing special interest in AP, the Union environmental minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday denied any such special treatment and said both TS and AP were being treated equally by the Centre without any bias towards any particular state.

Addressing a news conference at the state BJP office here on Sunday, Mr Javadekar who in the city in connection with the campaign for party MLC candidate S. Ramachandra Rao, said, Telangana government did not have to fear bias towards Andhra Pradesh by the Centre and assured full cooperation from his ministry on getting early clearances for environmental projects.

He said that the environment was ready to give all the necessary clearance for the Damaracherla Thermal Station project in Nalgonda district, which was being initiated by the Telangana government within a month.

“They are seeking diversion of forest lands to allow the power station to be set up there. For the establishment of such a big power project in the area, we are ready to give all clearances,” Mr Javadekar said.

The minister admitted that Telangana was suffering from acute power shortage due to less number of power projects in the state.