Coal imports by power units slide to 7 year-low
The Hindu
Price drives trend, exacerbates deficit
Indian utilities’ coal imports fell more than 73% in September to their lowest in more than seven years due to high prices, government data showed, despite a call by the Centre to boost shipments to arrest a crippling coal shortage.
Imports by utilities fell to 1.08 million tonnes in September, compared with 4.03 million tonnes a year earlier and 5.23 million tonnes in September 2019.
India had urged utilities to import coal in late August as coal-fired electricity generation surged after coronavirus-related curbs were eased, with several power plants being pushed to the verge of running out of fuel.
The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.