By Our Correspondent
RANCHI/BHUBANESWAR: Gurdeep Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of NTPC has led the coal mining division of NTPC to portray a phenomenal year-on-year growth (Y-o-Y) of 65% with the coal production of 23.20 million tonnes in this fiscal as compared to 14.02 million tonnes in the previous fiscal. The four operational coal mines viz. Pakri-Barwadih (Jharkhand), Chatti Bariatu (Jharkhand), Dulanga (Odisha) and Talaipalli (Chhattisgarh) have contributed to accomplish this highest ever annual coal production since inception.
So far, the captive mines have delivered 68.28 Million Tonnes of coal to more than 22 power plants of NTPC.Along with this coal production, NTPC has also attained the highest ever annual overburden removal of 73.0 million cubic meters witnessing a Y-o-Y growth of 129% as compared to 31.9 million cubic meters of overburden removal in the previous fiscal.
CMD, NTPC congratulated the entire coal mining team on achieving this feat and expressed his confidence on achieving the target of 31 million tonnes for the next fiscal.
Ramesh Babu V, Director (Operations) and Nominated Owner of all mines, NTPC appreciated the coal mining division for setting the production benchmarks. In FY 22-23, the nation witnessed an unrelenting surge in power demand due to heatwaves and rapid economic recovery. Amid this energy crisis NTPC coal mining took outstanding efforts for enhancing coal production and ensuring consistent quality fuel supply to NTPC power plants.
Partha Mazumder, Regional Executive Director (Coal Mining), NTPC extended his gratitude to the Ministry of Power; Ministry of Coal; Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Govt. of Jharkhand; Govt. of Odisha; Govt. of Chhattisgarh; Directorate General of Mines Safety; and the district administrations for their unwavering support to NTPC coal mining in overcoming the roadblocks of land acquisition, rehabilitation & resettlement, agitation by local villagers, etc.
In line with the digital mission of NTPC management, the coal mining team has also introduced initiatives such as e-SMP – digitised Safety Management Plan; Sachetan – safety mobile app; Khanan Drishti – web app for recording & monitoring production efficiency; Integrated Coal Management System; GPS tracking of man & machinery through LoRaWAN technology; dump slope monitoring through TLS; and HEMM simulator at Talaipalli mine.
NTPC coal mining also acknowledges the responsibility of reducing the carbon footprint. The working areas are equipped with dust suppression and water-sprinkling systems. The monitoring of emissions, SOx, NOx, particulate matters, etc. are being done continuously, and tree plantation is being done at all available opportunities. Electrically operated HEMMs have also been introduced in the mines.
Coal transportation by road has been minimized by operationalizing conveyor system (one of the largest in Asia) at Pakri Barwadih mine and use of rail transport from pit head to power plant at Dulanga and Talaipalli mines.
As wise men say, success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. NTPC Coal Mining has delivered against all odds and shall continue to ensure supply of coal of consistent quality & size to its power plants for delivery of cheap and uninterrupted power to the stakeholders.
