The State-owned coal major Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) plays a vital role in electricity generation by ensuring the supply of coal to thermal power plants and thus ensuring electricity during these lockdown test times. Despite challenges it has dispatched 1.11 lakh tons of coal to the plants daily from the opencast projects.
The coal giant leaves no stone unturned to supply coal to thermal power plants in Telangana according to instructions from Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. Telangana State Power Generation Corporation TS GENCO has supplied 9 lakh tons of coal, in addition to supplying 5 lakh tons of coal to its own thermal power plant in Mancherial district Jaipur. The plants now have stocks that can meet the 25-day requirement, SCCL sources told Telangana Today.
Moreover, the SCCL has also come to the aid of neighboring States. It supplied thermal power plants belonging to the National Thermal Power Corporation with 8.8 lakh tons of coal. It has distributed 4 lakh tons of coal to thermal plants in Maharashtra, 3.3 lakh tons of coal to Karnataka and 1.60 lakh tons of coal to Andhra Pradesh.
SCCL faces challenges
In excavating coal the coal major faces some challenges. It suspended operations at 22 underground mines because of lockdown standards, keeping in mind the safety of miners. It currently relies on 18 opencast ventures and five mechanized mines. “Despite challenges, the SCCL has managed to supply 33 lakh tonnes of coal to thermal power plants in Telangana and neighboring States in the last one month,” a senior officer told ‘Telangana Today.’
SCCL Chairman and Managing Director N Sridhar has stepped up confidence and motivated the staff to improve output by constantly talking to miners and raising awareness about the need to live up to the Chief Minister 's expectations. In increasing the coal production, he gives suggestions and tips to the officials concerned.
Meanwhile, the coal giant's management is taking precautionary measures to prevent the novel coronavirus from spreading. It has made the safety of workers engaged in coal mining paramount. It is supplying face masks to miners and spraying disinfectants at work sites of the projects located in six districts of Telangana State.
