JHARSUGUDA/ANGUL : Union Coal Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday visited Talcher coalfield and Samleshwari Open Cast Project of MCL in Ib Valley area on Monday. He visited the Ib Valley area in the morning where he made a surprise visit to Samaleshwari open cast mine. After taking stock of the mining and production works, he said Belpahar’s Y-Curve coal siding will soon be transferred to a new place so that disruptions caused to coal production could be prevented.
Emphasising on the need to ensure adequate coal supply to power plants, he said mine-wise review of coal dispatch capability is an imperative given the fall in efficiency. He also urged railway officials and Coal India officials to fast-track coal dispatch and plan projects taking into account the next 20 years.
Accompanied by Union Coal Secretary Indrajit Singh and CIL Chairman Anil Kumar Jha besides MCL CMD RR Mishra and MCL directors JP Singh, LN Mishra and OP Singh, the Union Minister visited Bhubaneswari coalmine and Ananta coalmine under Talcher coalfield. He inspected works in both the coal mines and during inspection, Goyal received some applications from the locals.
This is his second visit to Talcher after he became Union Coal Minister in 2014. Members of Orissa Coalmine Majdoor Sangh - the largest coal trade union - led by its general secretary Souvagya Chandra Pradhan submitted a 12-point charter of demands to the Union Minister. Their demands included formation of separate coal company named Brahmani coal company out of MCL, opening of a medical college, payment of more wages to contractual workers, construction of Angul-Talcher rail link and back filling of old mines.