Rail roko: Punjab industries hit hard as power plants closed, protesters refuse to remove blockade 

As against the demand of 1,100 lakh units of power, 200 lakh units were purchased from the national grid by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited.
For representational purposes (Photo | PTI)
For representational purposes (Photo | PTI)

CHANDIGARH: Punjab is facing a severe power crisis as two of the three private thermal power plants have  stopped operations due to the rail roko agitation that has cut off the supply of coal.

Sources said that power generation at the 1,400 MW Nabha Power Limited at Rajpura came to a halt on Thursday.

The plant had got eight rakes of coal after agitating farmers decided to allow good trains to operate on October 22. The movement again stopped on October 24. 

Some 700 rakes of coal are stranded in different parts of the country due to the agitation. The Talwandi Sabo plant has already exhausted its coal stock.

Worse, the 540-MW power plant at Goindwal Sahib has stock for only a couple of days. 

While the state owned Rupnagar and Lehra thermal plants are left with about five-day stock, they are currently shut as they too need stocks to meet any emergency requirement.

Punjab is buying power from the central grid. As against the demand of 1,100 lakh units of power, 200 lakh units were purchased from the national grid by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited.

Nearly all industrial verticals, including bicycle and bicycle parts, textile, hand tools, auto parts, steel, machine tools, among others are facing dearth of raw materials in the wake of non-operation of goods trains.

Goods train services had earlier resumed in the state after farmer unions on October 21 announced exempting them from their weeks-old 'rail roko' agitation over the Centre's new farm laws.

The railways began running goods trains on October 22, but decided to suspend them on October 23 after some farmers blocked their movement.

On October 26, the suspension in the state was extended up to October 29.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had sought Punjab government's assurance for safety of trains and crew members to restore freight services, after Chief Minister Amarinder Singh asked him to intervene to resume the services.

A senior official of power utility Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) said against the demand for 6,000 MW of power, the state is managing 5,000 MW from central hydro and biomass plants, leading to shortage of 1,000 MW.

A private thermal power plant has stopped power generation, while other thermal plants are left with just two to three days of coal, the official said.

PSPCL is also buying electricity through power exchange, the official added.

Industry representatives from Punjab said around 10,000 containers for imports and exports have been stuck at various dry ports due to suspension of goods trains.

"Containers are carrying raw material and finished goods which include thread, steel, cycle parts, hand tools and other items worth Rs 6,000 to 7,000 crore," Ludhiana-based industrialist S C Ralhan, who is also a former president of the Federation of Indian Export Organisation, said.

"We have already faced financial loss to the tune of Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 crore due to non-operation of goods trains," he said.

Avon Cycles Chairman and Managing Director Onkar Singh Pahwa said the bicycle industry is facing difficulties in procuring raw materials like strips and pipes for making bicycles.

"Whatever material we have will soon end," he said.

Pahwa said bicycles which were to be exported to other countries are also stuck in containers, while buyers are asking to honour the commitments.

The company is sending containers through trucks to ports for urgent export supplies, he said, adding that it increases the cost.

Ajit Lakra, a garment maker, also echoed similar sentiments saying that any delay in sending goods meant for exports will not only lead to companies losing buyers but will also dent the industry's credibility.

Pahwa also expressed concern on shortage of coal, saying if thermal plants stop generating power, the industry will not be able to run its operations.

The industry representatives blamed the Congress-led state government in Punjab for the current situation.

"It is the duty of the state government to maintain law and order. The government should immediately get the rail tracks cleared," Ralhan said.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) on Thursday refused to lift the blockade from railway tracks through which coal is supplied

A delegation of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) led by its president Joginder Singh Ugrahan met three Punjab ministers Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria over the issue.

Farmers under the banner of BKU (Ugrahan) have been squatting on two rail tracks at Rajpura in Patiala and Banawala village in Mansa in protest against the three farm laws.

Goods train services had resumed in the state after farmer unions on October 21 announced exempting them from their weeks-old 'rail roko' agitation over the Centre's new farm laws.

However, the railways decided to extend its suspension of goods train operations, saying protesting farmers are still blocking the tracks.

Joginder Singh said the protesters have not blocked any main rail track.

"We are agitating outside the private thermal plants. Our people are sitting at two rail tracks of private thermal plants that lead to coal supplies. We will not lift our blockade," he said.

He said BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) members are also protesting outside shopping malls and fuel pumps, belonging to some corporate houses.

Joginder Singh said the delegation told the ministers to start generating power from the state-owned power plants instead of private ones.

The Centre is trying to "target" the state government by suspending the goods trains in the state, he claimed.

The suspension of freight trains has hit the coal supplies to power thermal plants in Punjab.

On October 26, the suspension was extended up to October 29.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had sought the Punjab government's assurance of the safety of trains and their crew members to restore freight services, after Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had asked him to intervene in resuming the same.

(With PTI Inputs)

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