Lucknow, 27 October: The State Electricity Consumer Council has alleged the Central Government’s pressure to purchase foreign coal for power generation as anti-consumer.
Consumer Council stated that this will make electricity expensive. Coal reserves in the country are sufficient, hence it is not appropriate for the Central Government’s Energy Ministry to put pressure on purchasing foreign coal.
The Consumer Council said that where the price of indigenous coal is Rs 3000 per tonne. Whereas the price of foreign coal is more than Rs 20000 per ton. In such a situation, there will be an increase of 85 paisa per unit rates by six percent mix.
The Consumer Council said that the Central Government should withdraw its decision. The Union Energy Ministry has once again issued instructions to the energy sector of all the states in the country to purchase foreign coal. Every time there is a power crisis anywhere, talk of buying foreign coal immediately starts. Hydro production declined due to floods in Sikkim, immediately talks started about purchasing six percent of foreign coal.
Consumer Council says that perhaps there is no coordination between the Energy Ministry and the Call Ministry, because on October 11, Coal Secretary Amritlal Meena has written a letter to the Cabinet Secretary, Government of India.
It is said in it that in September 2023, 67.27 million tonnes of coal was produced. In September 2022, only 58.07 million tonnes of coal was produced. Which is 15.84 percent more in the year 2023 than in the year 2022, while everyone knows that coal production is the worst in the month of September. Because due to rain, water comes into the mines.
It is further said, in such a situation, when the coal production in the country is so good in September, then talking about buying foreign coal is like pushing ahead with the increase in power plants.
Chairman of Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Consumer Council and member of the State Advisory Committee, Awadhesh Kumar Verma said that instead of buying such expensive coal, it is better to cut power for one or two hours, because its shortcomings are affecting the people of the state today. If the talk of purchasing foreign coal by six percent goes ahead, then electricity rates will increase by about 85 paise per unit.
