Odisha facing coal crisis,affecting Industrial operation

Odisha is now a days facing acute power crisis.The Utkal Chamber Of Commerce & Industry Ltd (UCCI), an association of industries, has urged the Odisha government to ensure adequate supply of coal to state-based industries which are facing an acute shortage of dry fuel to run their units.n a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the UCCI has said  the current acute coal shortage seriously affecting the viable operation of the industrial units.While the suffering of small and medium industries are increasing day by day, large process industries like steel plants, aluminium smelters and others are operating at a level where their operations are likely to become unviable if the situation continues unabated, the letter said.hough the state is blessed with abundant coal reserves, Odisha-based local industries are facing a coal deficit and forced to import coal /power as they are not getting enough share of coal, UCCI president Brahma Mishra said.
The state has coal reserves, about 25% of country deposits, and Coal India Ltd (CIL) subsidiary Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) produces 150 million tonnes of coal. The Odisha based power plants (16,000 MW) requires 90-95 million tonnes of coal per annum, which is 60% of Odisha's coal production for cost-effective sustainable industry operations. However, over 65 per cent of Odisha's coal is being supplied to power plants based in other states. Hence, the Odisha-based local industries are facing a coal deficit and are forced to import coal /power as they are getting less than 45% of Odisha's coal production, the UCCI said. Also, the acute coal shortage in the state is jeopardizing the manufacturing sector in the state further hurting the sentiments of global investors, it said.