NTPC’s Kaniha Plant  running out of coal

ANGUL: As the blockade at Talcher Coalfields entered its 12th day on Sunday, shortage of coal has adversely affected the power sector.

The crisis has not only hit Odisha but other States in Southern India where depletion of coal stock has assumed alarming proportions. Coal stock at NTPC’s power plant at Kaniha, where only two of the six units are currently functioning, reached zero on the day. This is unprecedented in the history of the plant. Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) sources said major power plants in South India, including APGENCO, APPDCL in Andhra Pradesh, Neyvelli Lignite Corporation and NTEL (A joint venture of NTPC and TNEB) in Tamil Nadu and KPCL in Karnataka are reeling under acute shortage of coal and most of the plants are on the verge of closing their units.

The blockade at Talcher Coalfield has also resulted in a loss of `138.26 crore to Central and State exchequer. Besides, at least 40,000 families residing around the area have been affected either directly or indirectly due to the agitation. The Talcher Truck Owners’ Association on Saturday expressed its anguish over the blockade in a letter to Angul Collector. The members of the association said the agitation has resulted in non-payment of instalments and loss of daily wages of 10,000 truck drivers, helpers and labourers. The association has requested the Collector to intervene in the matter and restore normalcy as soon as possible.

The crisis has also affected the 15,000 permanent and 10,000 contractual employees of MCL. MCL officials said residents of villages in the periphery of MCL’s mines are entitled to benefits under District Mineral Fund. MCL contributes around `42.63 per tonne to the fund. With loss of production, villages near Talcher have lost around `89.5 crore.

On the CSR front, Talcher Coalfield, which is allocated roughly `7.10 per tonne of coal produced for social development of the periphery, has lost around `1.50 crore till August 3.
Meanwhile, cumulative losses due to the agitation till August 3 stands at 21.04 lakh tonne of coal, 24.20 lakh tonne of despatch and 20.54 lakh cubic metre of over burden removal.