Ensure no disruption in coal production during monsoon: SCCL MD

Hyderabad: To maintain adequate coal supply to thermal power stations even during the monsoon, SCCL chairman & managing director Buddhaprakash Jyoti has asked the officials to ensure uninterrupted coal production during monsoon.

Speaking at a review meeting with SCCL officers on Saturday, he said that at present, nearly 95% of Singareni’s coal production comes from open cast mines. During heavy rains, water accumulation in open cast mines often hampers production activities. To address this, SCCL has already installed more than 100 heavy-duty pumps and motors across all open cast mines to dewater the mines and continue production operations, he said.

However, as water inflow may increase significantly during intense rains, the CMD directed officials to arrange additional pumps wherever necessary to prevent water stagnation and to strengthen haul roads. For this purpose, the concerned general managers at the corporate office were instructed to initiate necessary action pertaining to the tenders.

Buddhaprakash Jyoti also reviewed mine-wise proposals and preparedness plans related to monsoon management. He instructed officials to continuously monitor weather advisories issued by the meteorological department. He spoke to the the concerned area GMs of opencast mines that had suffered major production losses due to rains over the past two years and advised them to remain extra vigilant this year.

“In view of the increased power demand arising from international developments, all area managements should take adequate measures to ensure uninterrupted coal supply to thermal power plants having Fuel Supply Agreements (FSAs) with Singareni,” the CMD said. He also enquired about coal production, coal transportation, and overburden removal achieved by each area so far during the current financial year. He said that maximum possible coal production should be achieved before the onset of the monsoon, as higher production during the first quarter would significantly help offset the impact of rains on production during the monsoon season.