Paradip: Union Minister Coal and Mines, Pralhad Joshi asked the authorities of the Paradip Port Trust (PPT) to explore the feasibility of using the port as a coal hub.
Mr.Joshi also directed officials to fully utilize the available facilities for increasing coal transportation through the sea route.
Union Minister along with Minister of State for Coal and Mines Raosaheb Patil Danve, visited the Paradip Port and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL)’s Hingula area and reviewed various activities and projects.
Their visit comes amid the fuel shortage at the country’s power plants.
Both of them inspected the facilities at the port and noted that this can be developed into a coal hub.
Mr.Joshi also visited the site of the Rail System near the port where coal is unloaded with the help of wagon-tipplers.
He said this system of unloading is efficient, helps in saving time and demurrage charges, and also reduces the spread of coal dust.
In fact PPT handles around 25 million metric tons of coal cargo per annum which is the highest quantity of dry fuel handled by any port in the country.
This apart, work is in progress to set up a separate berth to handle 30 million metric tons of coal in the PPT, sources said.
After the review meeting, PPT Chairman P L Haranadh said that the minister gave assurance that the government will give more opportunities to PPT for handling additional coal cargo.
Union Minister later visited Balaram opencast project site in the Hingula area of MCL.
“With an annual capacity of 8 MT, this mine is operated by an all-women crew for mine blasting work,” a press release issued by MCL quoted the minister as saying.
While visiting the railway siding in MCL’s Hingula area, the minister emphasized the need for reducing wagon turn-around time.
The interval of time between two successive loadings of a wagon is called wagon turn around.
During a review meeting at MCL, the minister verified the dispatch operations at (MCL) to enhance fuel supplies to thermal power plants.
“Coal India Limited has successfully stepped up fuel supply to meet the increased power demand and arrest shortage of fuel at thermal power plants which happened due to increased cost of imported coal.
“Coal production and dispatch have now increased and we are supplying about 2.2 million tonne coal in a day to the power plants, which by itself is a record,” Joshi told reporters on the sidelines of his visit to MCL’s Hingula area in Talcher.
“We are trying to further improve coal production and dispatch from the company,” Mr.Joshi informed.