New Delhi: Andhra
Pradesh-based steel maker RINL has sought the state government’s intervention
to ensure immediate supply of coking coal stuck at Adani Gangavaram Port.
The coking coal supply has been stuck since last month due to agitation of
workers at AGPL (Adani Gangavaram Port Limited), which is operated by Adani
group company Adani Ports and SEZ (APSEZ).
In a letter to Visakhapatnam district collector, RINL CMD Atul
Bhatt said the operation of the firm is in a highly critical position due to
lack of the most essential raw material coking coal which has been stuck at
Gangaravam Port since April 12 this year due to agitation of AGPL workers.
“We request district administration and police to provide
necessary security so that the transportation of critical materials i.e. coal
is shifted by RINL peacefully through its own loaders and dumpers,” Bhatt said.
A query sent to AGPL did not elicit an immediate response.
According to Bhatt, more than 1,000 employees of RINL and trade
union leaders on Wednesday interacted with the agitating workers of AGPL and
persuaded them to allow transfer of coking coal to RINL immediately.
“It is a matter of great concern that the court orders for transportation of
coal to RINL through conveyor belt system or otherwise, forthwith, is still to
be implemented,” Bhatt said in the letter.
RINL, the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP)
under the Union steel ministry, is among the country’s top six steel makers. It
has three blast furnaces of 2.5 million tonnes each.
Coking coal is a key raw material needed for manufacturing of
steel.
Due to non-availability of coking coal, operations at RINL have been under forced
throttling, the CMD said.
“The impasse in the matter, extending nearly for a month, is
posing severe threat to the health of the equipment as also financial health of
the company,” he said, adding that the company is unable to meet even statutory
payment obligations.