CUDDALORE: Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited (NLCIL) chairman and managing director, Prasanna Kumar Motupalli, addressed the media at Cuddalore, stating that electricity production in five units had stopped due to a scarcity of lignite. He mentioned that the units had a combined capacity of 1,000 megawatt.
Motupalli explained that the shortage of lignite had caused the shutdown, and the expansion of NLCIL mines required 80-90 hectares of land immediately. He requested everyone’s cooperation for land acquisition, as this would help avoid electricity scarcity in the summer season. The CMD also assured proper compensation and arrangements for the people giving up their lands.
He said, “Plans worth Rs 100 crore have been made for projects across Neyveli under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme. We need 80 hectares of land immediately, 100 hectares within a year, and 1,000 hectares in the next five years to enable full-fledged electricity production and supply to the state.”
He added that almost 95% of contract workers and 83% of permanent workers in NLCIL are Tamilians. He also promised 1,800 new job opportunities would be created and those who provided land to NLCIL would receive a 20-mark bonus in the examination for the job.
Motupalli clarified the government held 79% of shares in NLCIL and there are no plans for privatisation.
In another event held on Wednesday, Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare MRK Paneerselvam inaugurated a newly constructed building for the Government TB hospital in Keppar Hill, Cuddalore.
The NLCIL had funded the project under its CSR scheme, and Rs 84 lakh was spent on the construction.
The minister also released a booklet about child development published by NLCIL. He laid the stone for an overhead water tank construction at Annavalli. NLCIL is spending Rs 40 lakh on this project.