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DPL hit by boulders in coal consignments

Stones and boulders, in sizeable quantities, being mixed with the coal ore supplied by a nationalised coal company have become a recurring nuisance for Durgapur Projects Limited (DPL), an ailing state-owned power utility. In the last two days, DPL has faced severe demurrage due to this and its power generation has been hit, DPL officials said.

The consignment dispatched by the Bharat Coking Coal Limited in a rake of 59 box wagons arrived at DPL on 26 October evening. The entire rake was stranded at least for six hours after the discovery of stones and boulders in the consignment and the matter, according to senior DPL officials, was intimated to the BCCL authority. Mr Ratan Ghosh,deputy general manager (Coal Handling Plant) of DPL’s Power Plant, said,“We received the faulty consignment, which included a huge quantity of stone boulders. Due to this the rake was detained and we expected a BCCL team would visit for inspection.”

The stones and boulders that are mixed with coal ore are supposed to be segregated at various levels before the ore is pulverised and charged into boilers. The officials said DPL is forced to pay for the stones that come mixed with the coal.

Coal India officials did not deny stones were getting mixed with coal. But they refute the allegation of deliberately sending large amounts of stones with coal.

DPL officials, however, alleged that these are deliberately added to the coal to make up the weight intact after coal is pilfered. According to DPL officials, presence of large quantities of stones increases the time needed to unload coal, delaying the availability of railway rakes to bring in more coal, besides raising the demurrage charge. Normally eight hours is given by the railway authority for unloading and for every additional hour, Rs 150 per wagon is charged as demurrage. Each rake comprises 59 wagons and each wagon carries 58 MT coal to the power plant.

The INTUC today lodged a complaint with the DPL authority alleging that the stone boulders supplied by BCCL has hit the power utility’s exchequer.Mr Umapada Das, general secretary, INTUC at DPL in his complaint letter claimed, “This consignment had 70 per cent stone boulders and we demand removal of third party intervention in such matters.

DPL officials should be posted at the coal loading point of the coal mines.” The BCCL authority, meanwhile, has expressed surprise at DPL’s allegation. The BCCL’s GM (sales and marketing),Mr S.Sanghi said,“It's absurd and the DPL hasn’t informed us about any such discrepancy as yet. However, we shall hold an inquiry voluntarily.”

In 2004,two FIRs were registered with the Sindri PS against BCCL mine authorities for supplying stone boulders in coal consignments.

source: http://www.thestatesman.com