REGIONAL NEWS

Eyebrows raised over coal testing results at Ropar thermal
August 16, 2012

By Vinod Gupta
ROPAR: Eyebrows have been raised over the results of coal testing being conducted at Ropar Thermal Plant which follows a fixed pattern that points to an alleged nexus.

The test results of coal received from PANEM shows that the testing of coal at thermal plant is being stage managed to benefit the company. The normal trend of results being conducted shows that 25 % of coal is of grade C, 55% coal is of grade D and balance 20 % mostly comprise of grade E. There is no F grade coal being supplied at Ropar thermal plant by PANEM.

Ropar thermal plant received 344 rakes April to July, of which 81 have been found to be of Grade 'C', 191 of Grade 'D' and 92 of Grade 'E'. "Not even a single rake has been found to be of Grade 'F'. During 2010-11 plant received 1085 coal rakes and 984 in 2011-12 from PANEM. Total coal rakes received during 2010-11 were 1784,1609 in 1011-12 and 573 in current financial year. Each rake contains about 3364 MT of coal.

A PSPCL official who visited the coal mines of PANEM said that as per survey done coal crest up to 7 meters comprises of C grade, from 7 to 20 meters D grade, from 20 to 28 meters E grade and below 28 meters it is F grade coal. This works out that coal supplied to Ropar thermal plant should comprise of 20 % C grade, 30% D grade, 40% E grade and balance 10% F grade.

PANEM also supplies coal for thermal plants at Lehra Mohabatt and Bhatinda. A senior Lehra Mohabatt official said that they have been able to break the nexus to some extent during last six months. Now engineers have been associated with testing and payment is being made on the basis of actual grading which is lower in number of cases.

It may be mentioned that erstwhile PSEB formed a Joint Venture Company, PANEM Coal Mines Limited, with Eastern Minerals and Trading Agency (EMTA) to produce, supply, transport and deliver coal from the PSEB’s captive coal mines of Pachwara Central Block, exclusively to PSEB thermal power stations.

According to sources, at Ropar thermal plant the coal testing is being done by 2 laboratory assistants under the direct supervision of Chief Chemist Coal. The posts of all the 3 shift chemists have been deliberately kept vacant. The sampling, crushing and grinding of coal samples is being done before office hours by PANEM employee who earlier worked as labor in the office of chief chemist coal.

A senior official who was earlier dealing with the coal said that to prevent the fraud being committed by officials and to break the unholy nexus the shuffling of staff between coal and water sections be done every year. Another official who tried to be strict in this matter was transferred from the circle.