New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Energy Minister R. That. Singh, met Coal Minister Prahlad Joshi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav. The meeting comes amid reports of a power crisis due to coal shortages across the country.
According to a report, coal reserves in the country’s power plants have reached a nine-year low with the onset of summer. Electricity consumption in factories and industries has increased due to the resumption of industrial activities after the Corona lockdown. The demand for electricity will increase rapidly as the heat increases. The maximum temperature in April will be above normal in most parts of northern and central India, according to the meteorological department. Therefore, the demand for electricity is bound to increase. Power cuts have started in many parts of the country.
The supply of coal by road has been increased in the largest Anpara project of the State Production Corporation, which is facing a coal crisis. About one lakh metric tonnes of coal will be provided to the project by road. There will be a daily supply of four-five thousand metric tons. This will reduce the consumption of coal stored in the stock and the project is expected to get some relief. The largest Anpara project located at the mouth of the coal mine requires 60,000 MT of coal per day. While from MGR it is getting only 20-2 thousand MT of coal. The rest of the coal is being taken from the project’s own stock. Due to which the crisis is increasing.
Coal is now being supplied by road due to non-commencement of supply from rail racks. About one lakh metric tons of coal will be transported by road. This includes 6,000 metric tons of coal per day. This is expected to reduce the need to extract coal from the project stock. Amidst the ever-increasing demand for electricity, the stock of coal in the project is steadily increasing.
Last week, the stock of 5.5 metric tonnes of coal fell by 3,000 metric tonnes in one week. According to the information received, the project now has a stock of 4.50 MT of coal.