A+| A| A-
Coal Woes: Are They Touch and Go?
To combat the coal shortage and prevent its recurrence, meticulous and efficient planning holds the key.
The tall claims of the Government of India about “resilience” have fallen flat as the backbone of the economy—infrastructure, and a crucial input—power generation is in shambles. The union finance minister has rubbished the claims of power shortage and claimed India to be a power-surplus nation. The coal minister asserted that 400 lakh tonnes of coal stock was available on 10 October 2021 as against 18.5 lakh tonnes of daily requirement. Amid the cacophony to paint a hunky-dory picture of the economy, the cracks reveal a dismal scene.
The Central Electricity Authority data shows that on 7 October 2021, 16 plants had dry fuel for zero days; 30 plants had coal for just one day; 18 plants had stock for two days; 19 plants supplies for three days; nine plants had it for four days (supercritical stock); six had for five days; and 10 plants had six days of fuel left (critical stock). Ironically, the situation was allowed to escalate to this level when the Ministry of Power tracks coal availability daily.
Dear Reader,
Or
To gain instant access to this article (download).
(Readers in India)
(Readers outside India)
