Jaipur: Rajasthan is facing a coal crisis for its power plants and the key to resolving the crisis is in the hands of Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, who is not allowing mining in coal blocks allotted to Rajasthan. Now, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi to intervene in the issue.
The Rajasthan government has coal blocks in Parsa East, Kaante Ext. and Sarguja Parsa in Chhattisgarh. Rajasthan is getting coal from Parsa East where only one month’s coal is left.
The environmental clearance for Kaante Ext. is pending with the central and Chattisgarh government while the third block Parsa Surguja can be used for mining as the central government has granted environmental clearance for mining here, but the consent of panchayats of concerned blocks is also mandatory for mining.
Gehlot wrote to Sonia that this can only be done with the help of the Chhattisgarh government. Rajasthan has requested this several times, but there is no response and now the situation can lead to a power crisis in Rajasthan. Gehlot urged Sonia to intervene in the matter at the earliest as the state is facing a coal crisis due to an increase in demand for irrigation.
"We are trying our best to maintain the supply of coal for power plants. We are talking to the Chhattisgarh government also, and has written a letter to Sonia Ji to tell her about the situation," said Shanti Dhriwal, the senior minister in the Gehlot government.
It is to note that the demand for power supply has increased due to Rabi crops in the state and the availability of coal in power plants of the state is of just one week and the state needs full supply to coal to meet the demand.
