Tags:
Journalism of Courage
ROOPNAGAR, Aug 14: The cash-strapped Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant here is heading for a major operational crisis in the wake of outstanding payments to its suppliers of raw materials and the Railways.
The funds crunch is likely to affect the functioning of the plant, which is a major power generating unit in the state.
Highly-placed sources at the 1260 mw plant, with a generation capacity of three crore units per day, revealed that the authorities were unable to pay freight charges for coal to the Railways, besides the arrears of its employees. The authorities are equally worried due to their inability to make long-standing payments for their machinery and spare parts, sources revealed.
They maintained that out of the total revenue of Rs 3,100 crore for Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), the lion’s share of Rs 1,550 crore would be invested on coal and fuel purchases. The plant here alone accounts for a budget of Rs 1,200 crore, of which Rs. 1,000 crore goes into coal procurement.
Though the plant authorities are expecting to emerge out of the crisis, after the announcement of 33 per cent enhancement in power tariff, a partial rolling back of the hike under the industry’s pressure is likely to affect the operation. It is widely believed that not only the employees, but thesuppliers are likely to go up in arms against the plant’s board, thus hampering its functioning.
According to figures, the plant owes Rs 60 crore to the Railways as freight charges for coal. Even though, they had extended their deadline to August 10, the PSEB failed to meet the deadline.
Apart from Rs 90 lakh, which is to be paid to suppliers of spare parts, the plant also owes over Rs 1.5 crore to BHEL, the manufacturer of its transformers.
When contacted, Chief Engineer S. P. Goyal confirmed that the plant owed several crores of rupees to its employees and suppliers and added, “The matter has been brought into the knowledge of the chairman and the member, Finance.”
