Sambalpur: Stoppage of coal mining and dispatch due to external disturbances in Kaniha project of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) continued on tenth day today, leading to worsening crisis in NTPC Kaniha in Talcher coalfields.
The eight-million-tonne project Kaniha OCP, which is linked to fuel NTPC Kaniha, was stopped by the villagers of Pathermunda demanding employment.
After the parleys at project-level failed to yield any positive result at unit level, the top management had also sought intervention at higher levels. But the mine continues to remain at halt.
Kaniha project, which produced over 7000 tonne coal a day, has seen the highest 53 days of stoppage of work in MCL during the current financial year 2018-19.
During the current fiscal, MCL has continued to suffer in Talcher coalfields due to unrealistic demands sprouting from various socio-political quarters in Talcher coalfields. The company’s production has gone down by over 25 million tonne, leading it struggling to register a positive growth during FY’19.
Against 143 million tonne coal produced during 2017-18, MCL is running with seven per cent negative growth due to continuous stoppages in Talcher coalfields, which contributes to over 65 per cent of total coal produced by the company.
Similarly, the six-million-tonne capacity Balram OCP of Hingula Area is paralysed since 17th of February 2019. The 10-million tonne capacity Hingula Area in Talcher coalfields has been the second highest in terms of stoppages as it has remained closed for over 47 days during the current fiscal.
The month of January 2019 has remained the most-affected period for MCL as projects in Talcher coalfields, which were to produce over nine million tonne coal, remained stopped for around bout five days.
The mines of MCL work 24×7 to meet the energy demand of the nation, but stoppage of work due to external disturbances on illegal grounds may lead to shortage of coal to power plants in southern states as well.
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