Concerned over the drastic fall in coal production in Talcher coalfield, one of the largest coalfields in the country operating under Coal India subsidiary Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL), the Union minster of state for coal, Pratik Prakashbapu Patil is rushing to Talcher tomorrow to take stock of the situation.
During his visit, Patil will interact with the MCL officials, trade union leaders and local MP and MLA on various issues affecting the Talcher coalfield’s production and measures to overcome them.
Talcher coalfield feeds coal to power plants in eight states and the minister’s visit is significant in the backdrop of acute crisis in coal supply faced by power plants across the country.
For last two years, the production at Talcher coalfield, whose huge potential once raised the prospect of spinning it off into a separate coal company, is on the slide much to the disappointment of the MCL authorities.
While the MCL officials blame this poor performance on rain, frequent bandhs and land problems, the trade union leaders attribute the cause to weak managerial capability and lack co-operations of local villagers.
Surprisingly when the performance of Talcher is on the slide, the other coalfield under MCL, IB valley including Basundhara area is flourishing.
