Coal news and updates

Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), a flagship company of Coal India Limited, has excelled in coal dispatch and overburden removal besides registering growth in coal production in 2016-17 despite adverse conditions.

 

Sources said the coal company, comprising the coalfields in Odisha, has supplied a whopping 143 million tonnes (MT) of coal to the country’s power sector in the last fiscal as against 140 MT the previous year. The growth of about 2 per cent is an all time-record.

In the field of overburden removal, the company has achieved all-time record by removing 143 million cubic metres of overburden (soil). It also recorded 139.201 MT production of coal as against the 137 MT in 2015-16. Out of 139 MT, Talcher coalfield has produced 79.95 MT while Ib Valley recorded an output of 59.213 MT. The target for Talcher was fixed at 105.65 MT while for Ib Valley, it was 61.35 MT.

Meanwhile, the Union Coal Ministry has set a production target of 178 MT for the current fiscal.  MCL Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) Anil Kumar Jha attributed the shortfall in coal production at Talcher to frequent protests and non-availability of land for working sites. He, however, expressed satisfaction over the company’s performance. Jha hoped that the current year’s target of 178 MT will be achieved with the help of all stakeholders. The company is giving importance to providing rehabilitation and resettlement benefits to the land losers as per the State Government’s policy, he added.

Source:newindianexpress