Parliamentary panel raps NTPC, CIL during coal crisis

New Delhi: A Parliamentary panel today rapped state-owned firms - power major NTPC and Coal India - for behaving in a “casual” manner at the time of coal crisis and said that the two will be penalised for such a behaviour in the future. NTPC’s two thermal power projects Kahalgaon (Bihar) and Farakka (West Bengal) had been forced to shut down due to non-availability of coal, forcing crores of people of that region to remain in dark, Standing Committee on Energy, headed by Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh, said in a report. [caption id=“attachment_722929” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Coal India Limited has been held responsible for the current crisis. Reuters. [/caption] The committee said the matter has been handled in a very casual and dreadful manner forcing the people of the region to go without power, bringing agricultural, commercial and other essential services to a halt. It added that such occurrences should not happen in future, failing which the responsible officers of both the organisations will be held accountable for exemplary punishment. The committee expressed displeasure over the moderate generation capacity addition target set for the 12th plan period (2012-17). On the Power Ministry, the report said: “Instead of becoming complacent they should put relentlessly sincere efforts for full attainment of the generation capacity addition targets set for the 12th plan (2012-17).” It also recommended that the ministry should not lower its guard and ensure timely completion of the projects during the current plan. Besides, it asked the government to ensure that the power projects coming up in the 12th Plan are not held up or delayed or abandoned due to paucity of funds. The fund requirement for the sector (conventional sources) will be over Rs 15 lakh crore during the five year period. PTI