Small scale industries are in trouble after not getting coal from SECL for last six months

Bilaspur

At a time when coal from the mines of this region is being supplied to industries across the country, small and micro industries of Chhattisgarh face serious shortage of coal for fuel and raw material. The Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation (CSIDC)has received the coal for December 2021 in July 2022. At the same time, coal from January to March was not yet received. Small scale industries have to buy coal from outside at a higher cost.

Small and micro industries are not being given adequate coal by the SECL while there was six month delay in allocation of coal to the state agency CSIDC from the year 2021. The allotment of December was in July last which had adverse impact in industries which claimed that the cost is determined only after the supply of coal. Due to non-availability of coal, it is being procured from outside, which is three times more than the government rate. Due to increase in cost, all the three producers, sellers and customers are getting affected. The industrialists talked to the officials of both CSIDC and SECL to normalize the supply of coal and get coal on time, but it could not be resolved.

SECL has not done the agreement

An agreement was made between CSIDC and SECL to provide coal to the State agency and Coal India had sent a letter to the CSIDC in the month of June itself. But the SECL was not supplying coal despite repeated reminders about the agreement. As per allocation quota, 60000 metric tonnes of coal should be supplied to the industries. Six months have passed and now SECL now wants an agreement of 30000 metric tonnes.

CSIDC has deposited Rs 4.94 crore with SECL for two months i.e. January-February 2022, but coal has not been supplied even in the month of September. According to officials, SECL has given 45 days to lift the coal, which has become a problem. On this ground, SECL creates problem in supplying coal.

Coal is being supplied to the CSIDC on priority, according to SECL public relations officer Shanish Chandra. CSIDC officials will have to come and meet here, if there is any problem, it can be rectified together. There are technical difficulties regarding coal allocation and supply.

Meanwhile, CSIDC CGM M L Kushre said that half of the year has passed. “We have made several correspondences and even met the officials but the agreement has not been done for the allocation of coal for this session. While we have got less coal than last year’s allocation, industrialists are upset,” he said.

SECL has become an anti-industry organization, which wants to lock the industries here by not giving coal. The coal for last year’s allocation is yet to be received, which lapsed in March. Now a new agreement has to be made, that too is not being fulfilled. Industrialists met the CMD but the result is the same, said Harish Kedia, president, Small and Micro Industries association.

The coal for January-February has not been received even after deposit of money by theCSIDC. The cost of coal will increase if they buy coal from outside, due to which the price of the goods will increase. In such a situation, SECL management is harming everyone by not giving coal, said industrialist Mukesh Agrawal.