BL reported that NALCO Employees' Sangha, the recognized union, has urged the union government and the Odisha government to intervene and put an end to the coal crisis crippling production in the company.

In a letter sent to the Indian prime minister, the union coal minister and the railway authorities, the Sangha said the smelters at NALCO are severely affected by the short supply of coal over the past week.

Mr NK Samal the working president of the union affiliated to the INTUC said that "While the company requires around 17,000 tonnes of coal a day, we have been receiving only 8,000 tonnes from the Mahanadi Coal Fields due to heavy rains and restrictions on rail movement."

He said that “There is a need to find a permanent solution to the problem and stop gap, ad hoc solutions would not suffice.”

He said NALCO has already shut down 60 of 960 operational pots at the smelter to ensure safe operations.

He added that "The company is losing INR 1 crore a day, and this problem may get aggravated in future if the union government does not provide timely intervention. The company may be forced to shut down its potline, affecting nearly one lakh persons directly or indirectly."

He expressed regret that operations at NALCO are adversely affected even though the pit head was located just 10 kilometers away from the Bharatpur coal mine.

He sought immediate steps to improve coal supply to the company.

(Sourced from www.thehindubusinessline.com)