Andhra Pradesh-based steel maker Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL), popularly known as Vizag Steel Plant, 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 Ltd), 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.
