Ropar, June 15
In the wake of a rapidly deepening coal crisis in the thermal plants of the state, Punjab may face major power cuts and closure of some thermal units by the end of June if timely steps are not taken by the PSEB management. Today, all three thermal plants have limited coal stocks which are sufficient for just four to 10 days.
Sources in the PSEB said this afternoon that the Bathinda thermal plant had just 30,000 metric tonnes (MT) of coal, sufficient for only four days, while the Lehra Mohabbat and Ropar thermal plants had 95,000 and 2.05 lakh MT of coal, respectively, sufficient for just 10 days at each plant.
It may be mentioned here that Coal India Limited has reduced the supply of coal to Punjab’s thermal plants during the past about three weeks due to non-payment of dues to the tune of more than Rs 100 crore. Heavy reduction in the coal supply has worsened the coal crisis in Punjab.
The sources said the Ropar thermal plant had received 26 rakes till yesterday, against more than 75 rakes from June 1 to June 14, as not even a single rake of coal arrived at the plant on several days.
The sources also stated that the PSEB had paid meagre amounts to Coal India Limited once or twice in the current month though the arrears of payments of the coal had touched new heights.
The sources also claimed that in these circumstances, by the end of June the coal situation may deteriorate further due to rain in Bihar. Besides, power crisis may further deepen due to rising demand of power for paddy transplantation and in view of the ongoing summer season.
Talking to The Tribune, Mr
V.K. Mohindru, General Manager of the Ropar Thermal Plant, claimed today that the PSEB had paid one more instalment of Rs 30 crore on June 13 to Coal India Limited. This would help in improving the coal situation in Punjab, he added.
Mr Mohindru said the plant had received two rakes of coal the previous day while three rakes would reach at the plant today. He said Coal India Limited had assured the PSEB that it would supply sufficient coal to Punjab’s thermal plants.
