Date:02/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/06/02/stories/2007060204970700.htm

Back Railways' loading of coal, iron ore badly hit

Santanu Sanyal

Situation in Orissa, AP and Chhattisgarh causing concern

Alarming factors
Loading from Talcher mines in Orissa hit due to agitation by local people
Iron ore movement at K-K line in Andhra remains suspended

Kolkata June 1 Transportation of coal and iron ore in large parts of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh served by the East Coast Railway (ECoR) has been thrown out of gear. The railways' daily average loading of wagons (four-wheelers) nearly halved from the normal 10,000, according to a spokesman for ECoR.

The loading of coal in Talcher mines under Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd and the road transportation of it to the nearest railheads have been badly hit by agitation by the local people demanding immediate rehabilitation and jobs.

"We targeted to load 26/27 rakes of Talcher coal a day but the daily average loading in the month of May was 23 rakes and today (Friday) we could load barely five rakes due to the agitation," said the spokesman. "There is hardly any ground stock available at the railheads."

Powerhouses under trouble

What is causing concern is that several powerhouses dependent on thermal coal from Talcher mines will be greatly inconvenienced. For example, National Thermal Power Corporation's Simadri plant, totally dependent on Talcher coal, will be put to extreme difficulties unless the situation comes back to normal within a day or two. The Simadri plant has got only six days' coal stocks, it is learnt.

More important, ships due to load coal at Paradip port for coastal shipment to Ennore port to meet the requirement of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board have to wait as the rail movement of coal from the Talcher mines to the port has remained suspended.

"There is no coal at the port for the ship due to arrive tomorrow and a few more ships are in the pipeline", Mr K. Raghuramaiah, Chairman of Paradip Port Trust, told Business Line over phone from Paradip. "We have requested the Railways to examine if it would be possible to move coal from IB Valley mines."

Seek Govt help

The Railways, authorities of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd and TNEB are believed to have sought the Orissa Government's immediate intervention for an early end to the agitation.

The iron ore movement on the Kottavalasa-Kirandul line in Andhra Pradesh has remained suspended because of the power failure. The high voltage transmission line in Jagdalpur area in Chhattisgarh has been reportedly damaged by the Maoists.

Inquiries reveal that there is no chance of power supply being restored before another two to three days.

Iron rakes movement

ECoR normally moves 15 rakes of iron ore a day on the K-K line. It had dropped to 11 rakes recently due to repair of the conveyor belts and other work undertaken in some of the National Mineral Development Corporation's mines. There has been virtually no movement of iron rake on the route since Thursday afternoon. The iron ore moved on the K-K line is used partly for exports and partly to meet the requirement of Visakhapatnam steel plant.