Over the years, power cut in West Bengal at this time of year is plaguing; sometime it is due to routine service of the power plants or uncalled for breakdowns. They are usual and seem out of control. But the other factor what is surprising is coal shortage! Coal shortage is equally a routine affair every year. The coal mines being nationalized way back 1969 by government headed by Mrs Indira Gandhi did good to miners as well as those coal mine owners who were handsomely compensated for handing over underground infernos to government. In fact, many underground fires and land collapses in coal mine areas are due to most negligent mining by the mine owners. It is well known fact to anyone who is associated with Indian coal mining industry.
Now, the shortage of coal supplies to the power plants is causing power shortage, because numbers of power generating plants are kept idle. Year after year we the tax payers have to suffer for that! In the civil world, perhaps Indian example is unique; had this been happening anywhere, they would have found remedy to these ills on war footing. Every year we come to know the same problems, as the open cast mines are deluged, so coal cannot be excavated or the shortage of rail wagons is posing the problem to transport coal from mines to plants! To cap it all, when these two factors are not posing problem, then comes ash content! Ash content in the coal that is being supplied to the power plants by nationalized coal mines is far more than desired level so the power plants are having frequent breakdowns. Fortunately this year the “ash content’ story is not heard.
Mind it to overcome all these hurdles, the remedy is single; imported coal from countries like Indonesia, Australia and others. What seems surprising; most of them have their stocks ready on our shore i.e Paradwip port, in Orissa. Sooner the government approves the deal; the wagons are ready with the load. Does not that sound fishy? There must be some agents who stand to gain out of the entire imbroglio! Should someone take a closer look; here it is not expected that any government agency will take initiative to probe the facts. How about media! Are they sleeping?
Now, the shortage of coal supplies to the power plants is causing power shortage, because numbers of power generating plants are kept idle. Year after year we the tax payers have to suffer for that! In the civil world, perhaps Indian example is unique; had this been happening anywhere, they would have found remedy to these ills on war footing. Every year we come to know the same problems, as the open cast mines are deluged, so coal cannot be excavated or the shortage of rail wagons is posing the problem to transport coal from mines to plants! To cap it all, when these two factors are not posing problem, then comes ash content! Ash content in the coal that is being supplied to the power plants by nationalized coal mines is far more than desired level so the power plants are having frequent breakdowns. Fortunately this year the “ash content’ story is not heard.
Mind it to overcome all these hurdles, the remedy is single; imported coal from countries like Indonesia, Australia and others. What seems surprising; most of them have their stocks ready on our shore i.e Paradwip port, in Orissa. Sooner the government approves the deal; the wagons are ready with the load. Does not that sound fishy? There must be some agents who stand to gain out of the entire imbroglio! Should someone take a closer look; here it is not expected that any government agency will take initiative to probe the facts. How about media! Are they sleeping?
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