With many power producers including NALCO facing coal crisis, Orissa Government has asked Mahanadi Coalfield Ltd, a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd, to submit periodic reports to it on the volume of coal being supplied to different units within the state.

The state government's instruction to MCL was given by Chief Secretary Mr BK Patnaik who chaired a coordination meeting between coal supplier and power producers.

Mr G Mathivathanan Energy Secretary said "MCL has assured that it is in the process of streamlining coal supply to different power producing units, including thermal power plants, independent power producers and captive power plants set up by many industries including NALCO."

Quoting MCL assurance to the state government, the energy secretary said the coal crisis would soon be over as difficulties faced by the PSU were being sorted out.

A senior official said "MCL has been asked to give priority to coal supply to power generating units within the state." Official sources said meanwhile the state government set up a group, to be coordinated by Orissa State Pollution Control Board to study implementation of the mining plan and effective mining operation by the MCL.

A senior member of the OSPCB said "MCL was also asked to exhaust certain coal mines so that mine voids could be filled by fly ash produced by different thermal power plants."

(Sourced from profit.ndtv.com)