The recent Environment Ministry Directive that coal wagons should be covered with tarpaulin is facing some resistance from a section of consumers, although it will have a marginal cost impact.
In the Notice of the Gazette, the Ministry of the Environment removed the ash content or distance stipulations for the transport of coal by thermal power plants, but made tarpaulin covers pollution control requirements.
Costs would rise by 5.5 per ton of coal, although there would be other issues, said the executive at the power company. “Rakes does not necessarily return to the same customer after coal delivery. This will necessitate the requirement of returning these covers to the source of coal by the consumer before the next delivery is to be made, possibly on trucks requiring rise in costs,” he said.
