Coal Minister comes calling amidst crisis

ANGUL: With the Coal Ministry blaming the weather gods, Railways and Telangana turmoil for triggering coal and power crises in the country, Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal comes calling to the State to review the situation here on Wednesday. The drastic fall in coal production in Talcher coalfield has prompted the visit. The Minister would review the mining works and is expected to attend a meeting of CIL and MCL officials in Bhubaneswar. Jaiswal will visit Talcher the following day and hold talks with people’s representatives and trade union  leaders.The visit assumes importance with the MCL recording negative growth in the first half of the fiscal affecting power generation in eight states which get coal from the Talcher coalfield. Talcher coalfield produces 70 per cent of the total coal output of the company. There has been a decline in its output in the last two years jeopardising MCL’s claims for the number one spot in CIL. Pointing out the reasons behind the decline, a veteran trade union leader said, “The current colliery management lacks vision and has distanced itself from locals and even workers as was evident during the recent strike on October 10.”He added that the State Government needs to solve the land acquisition and rehabilitation issues to boost coal production.