17 Aug 2012 Hindustan Times
(Chandigarh)Bahadurjeet Singh
‘Manipulations’ in coal testing at thermal plant raise eyebrows
RUPNAGAR: The alleged manipulations in testing of coal at Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant, Rupnagar, have raised many a eyebrows.

The erstwhile Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) had formed a joint venture company named, PANEM Coal Mines Limited, with Eastern Minerals and Trading Agency (EMTA) to produce, supply, transport and deliver coal from the coalmines of Pachwara Central Block, exclusively to PSEB thermal power stations.

According to s o urce s in Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant, Rupnagar, had received 344 rakes of coal from PANEM during April to July, of which 81 have been found to be of Grade “C”, 191 of Grade “D” and 92 of Grade “E”. Surprisingly, not even a single rake has been found to be of Grade “F”.

The test results of previous years show that the testing of coal at the thermal plant is being allegedly manipulated by the officials to benefit the company while grading the coal. The normal trend of results shows that 25% of coal is of Grade “C”, 55% coal is of Grade “D” and the balance 20% mostly is of Grade “E”. There is no F grade coal being supplied at the plant by PANEM, sources said.
An official, who visited the coal mines of PANEM, said on the condition of anonymity that according to the survey done, coal crest up to 7 m comprises Grade C, from 7 to 20 m Grade D, from 20 to 28 m Grade E and below 28 m, it is Grade F coal.

This works out that the coal supplied to the Rupnagar thermal plant should comprise 20% Grade C, 30% Grade D, 40% Grade E and the balance 10% Grade F.

According to sources, the coal testing at Guru Gobind Singh thermal plant is being done by two laboratory assistants under the direct supervision of chief chemist (coal). The posts of all three shift chemists have been kept vacant for the reasons best known to the authorities concerned. It is also alleged that the process of sampling of coal at the thermal plant is also being manipulated.

It may be mentioned that PANEM also supplies coal to thermal plants at Lehra Mohabbat and Bathinda. Officials have been able to break the nexus to some extent at these thermal plants during the past six months by associating engineers in the coal testing process.

Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant chief engineer K Lall denies any discrepancy in the coal testing and maintained that proper testing of coal was being done at the thermal plant under the supervision of the chief chemist (coal) and group of engineers. However, he could not give satisfactory reply as to why no Grade F coal was being detected in the coal supplied to the thermal plant by PANEM.