| Curtains down for FCI
Ramagundam
Jyotinagar: Production in the Ramagundam unit of the Fertiliser
Corporation of India will come to a close on Thursday throwing 12,300
people, including 1,100 regular staff, 1,200 contract labour, out of
employment.One of the biggest coal-based public sector units, the
Ramagundam unit was incurring losses running into crores for several years
which made the government decide on its closure.Falling production due to
indiscriminate power cut and sub-standard coal supply made the unit join
the list of sick units in 1992. But the trade union leaders hold the
Centre responsible for the unit falling on bad days.While the workers’
agitation to convert the factory into a gas or naphtha based unit yielded
no result, the abrupt decision to close down the factory came like a bolt
from the blue to them. The factory was struggling to keep the machines
running even without budget support for the past several years. During the
P V Narasimha Rao regime at the Centre, the then Power Minister Rangayya
Naidu had promised to ensure direct power supply to the factory from the
NTPC.The then Peddapally MP and former Union minister G Venkataswamy and
the then Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav
who visited the factory had given a categorical assurance to sanction Rs
560 crore for the modernisation of the coal-based unit. Even before they
initiated steps in this regard, the Congress government was voted out.The
decision to set up the unit was taken in 1969 and Ramagundam was selected
due to the abundant availability of coal, water and power.In 1970, the
then Petroleum Minister Triguna Sen laid the foundation stone and the
factory was dedicated to the nation by the then Chief Minister K
Brahmananda Reddy.
Fearing a fuel crisis in the future, the Centre established the coal-based
factory with a view to developing coal technology. The Rs 220-crore urea
plant was constructed on a sprawling 1,104 acre plot with a township and
an ash pond with technical assistance from Italy, Czechoslovakia, West
Germany and France.The factory was expected to produce 4.95 tonnes of
urea. The plant commenced commercial production in November 1980.The
factory used to consume 55 MW of power and 3,000 tonnes of coal to produce
1,500 tonnes of urea per day.Overcoming several technical and other
hurdles, engineers and technicians of the factory had successfully
implemented a new coal-based technology in producing urea.But later, the
unit suffered heavy losses mainly due to the supply of sub-standard coal,
technical flaws, shortage of raw material, among other things. As years
passed, the losses also mounted. Moreover, modern fertiliser units came up
producing urea at a lesser cost.
Source: http://listserv.nodak.edu/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind9904&L=telugu&F=&S=&P=50 |
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Flood
in Singareni Mine: 17 feared drowned
HYDERABAD, June 16
IN one of the worst mine disasters in recent times, about 17 colliers of
the State-owned Singareni Collieries Company Ltd, were feared killed when
the third seam of the Godavarikhani - LEP, was flooded on Monday
afternoon.
According to a statement from the Singareni Collieries management, 17
miners, who were working in the first shift on Monday have been identified
and chances of their survival looked bleak since water flooded the mine
from the entry point itself.
An inquiry has been instituted by the Chief Minister, Mr N. Chandrababu
Naidu, which is to be headed by the Deputy Director-General (Mines and
Safety), Mr D.P. Seth, to analyse the causes of the mishap and rule out
any negligence. The incident occurred when miners triggered a blast to
remove coal. This, in turn led to water flooding the mine, it is learnt.
The incident occurred at about 1 p.m. when about 50 miners were working in
other seams even as the waters gushed through to the third seam. The
company authorities have ruled out the possibility of rescuing the miners
even as efforts have been stepped up to pump out water from the flooded
mines. The intensity is such that the pumps will take about 12 hours to
drain water.
As per the compensation package, family of each miner will get Rs 37,000
under the group insurance scheme, Rs 1 lakh each under the Janata Accident
scheme, Rs 25,000 each under the Workmen's Compensation Act and Rs 1.5
lakh under the family benefit scheme and provident fund. In addition, as
per the arrangement, an eligible member of the family will get employment
in the company.
Source: http://www.blonnet.com/2003/06/17/stories/2003061702291700.htm |
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10
miners dead in singareni mishap - CM announces Rs 6-lakh ex-gratia
Hyderabad , Oct. 17
In yet another mine accident in the state-owned Singareni Collieries
Company Ltd, 10 miners are feared dead and two others injured following a
mine collapse in GDK 8A in the wee hours of Friday, about 230 km from
here.
Today's tragic incident is the second in less than four months in the
mines, where about 17 miners earlier drowned, has yet again raised doubts
about the safety of the mine system in the region.
Reacting to the incident, the State Chief Minister, Mr N. Chandrababu
Naidu, rushed two of his Cabinet colleagues to the site to make an on the
spot assessment as also coordinate the necessary relief measures, while
announcing ex-gratia to those affected.
Addressing a prèss conference in Secretariat, Mr Naidu said 12 miners
were trapped as the mine collapsed in the Godavarikhani region of
Ramagundem area.
While directing a judicial enquiry into the incident, Mr Naidu said that
necessary steps would be taken to ensure that all safety measures are
adhered to.
In case, it is found that there was negligence on the part of the
management, those responsible would be brought to book.
Expressing condolence to the members of the kin of the victims, Mr Naidu
said that Rs 6 lakh would be released immediately. Of this, Rs 3 lakh
would be from the CM's Relief Fund and another Rs 3 lakh would be from the
SCCL corpus.
This apart a member of the victim's family would be provided employment as
per the rules and all steps taken to educate the members of the family.
The accident occurred at about 1.15 a.m. due to a roof fall at a depth of
135 metres from the surface of the mine in Ramagundem region. Nearly 320
persons were working in the shift, according to the Singareni Collieries
officials.
The company announced that it would provide employment to the eligible
dependent of the deceased or pay monthly monetary compensation.
Source: http://www.blonnet.com/2003/10/18/stories/2003101802320300.htm |
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YSR lays stone for Yellampalli project
YELLAMPALLI (KARIMNAGAR DT), JULY 28:
The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has promised to complete the
ambitious Yellampalli (Sripada Rao) project on the river Godavari in four
to five years.
Dr. Reddy laid the foundation-stone for the project at Murmur village in
Ramagundam mandal on Wednesday evening. Yellampalli is the fourth major
irrigation project on the Godavari in Telangana region. The project is
designed to utilise about 63 tmc of water at a cost of Rs. 900 crores in
the first phase. In the second phase, about 49.5 tmc would be lifted to
the upland regions of Karimnagar, Adilabad, Nizamabad, Warangal and Medak
districts.
Addressing a public meeting at the project site, the Chief Minister
promised to complete the first and second phases of the project
simultaneously and ensure water to additional 6 lakh acres in Karimnagar,
Adilabad, Medak, Warangal and Nizamabad districts. He said they would lay
a strong foundation for increasing the height of the barrage to 148 metres
against the designed 143.5 metres height.
Free power to lift schemes
He announced free power supply to all lift irrigation schemes in the
State. Cloud-seeding would be taken up in the north Telangana districts in
the next 10 to 15 days.
The Peddapalli MP, G. Venkat Swamy, the Minister for Major Irrigation,
Ponnala Laxmaiah, the legislators, K Eshwar, D Sridhar, M Diwakar Rao also
spoke.
Source: http://www.telanganastate.com/news/n20040729_1.html
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Ramagundam power unit
commissioned
GODAVARIKHANI (KARIMNAGAR DT), SEPT. 26.
The National Thermal Power Corporation's 500 MW (Stage III) Unit 7 of
the Ramagundam Super Thermal Power Project was commissioned here today by
the Union Minister for Power, P.M. Sayeed.
With the commissioning of the unit, the installed capacity of the
Ramagundam project goes up to 2,600 MW, making it one of the biggest
thermal power stations in the country. The seventh unit was constructed at
a cost of Rs. 1,780.99 crores and commissioned in a record time of 37
months from the date of award of the main plant contract. Earlier, the
record stood in the name of the Talcher unit of the NTPC, which was
commissioned in 39 months.
Major share for State
The power generated from the seventh unit will be shared among the
southern States of Andhra Pradesh (145.86 MW), Karnataka (86.76 MW), Tamil
Nadu (118.20 MW), Kerala (61.61 MW) and the Union Territory of Pondicherry
(12.57 MW) with 75 MW as unallocated share. Among the unique features of
the seventh unit are the 275-metre-high chimney, electrostatic
precipitators, cooling towers, ash handling system, ash water
recirculation system and dry ash extraction and transportation system
without causing environmental pollution. The Chief Minister, Y.S
Rajasekhara Reddy, and the Union Minister for Information and
Broadcasting, S. Jaipal Reddy, also attended the function.
A milestone
The NTPC Chairman and Managing Director, C.P Jain, said the installed
capacity of all NTPC units had gone up to 22,435 MW with the commissioning
of the Ramagundam unit. The NTPC had also emerged as the sixth largest
power-generating company in the world. The corporation had drawn up an
ambitious plan of becoming a 40,000 MW-plus power company by 2012.
Incentive for staff
Lauding the NTPC authorities for commissioning the unit in a record time,
Mr. Sayeed said the NTPC was set a target of adding 9,000 MW during the
Tenth Plan. Till date it had added about 2,500 MW. The Union Minister also
announced an incentive of Rs. 51 lakhs to all employees of the unit.
Mr. Jaipal Reddy said the NTPC had set another milestone with the
commissioning of the unit. . The State Ministers, M. Satyanarayana Rao, G.
Vinod, V. Lakshmikantha Rao, the zilla parishad chairman, K.V. Rajeshwara
Rao, the MLAs, D. Sridhar, K Eshwar, Chada Venkat Reddy, T. Jeevan Reddy,
J. Ratnakar Rao, J.C. Diwakar Reddy, K. Ramulu, G. Mukund Reddy, the Power
Secretary, R.V Sashi, the NTPC directors, K. K. Sinha and Shankar Lingam,
and the Collector, C. Parthasarathi, were present.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/09/27/stories/2004092706560600.htm
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Education stops mid-way in this coal belt
Staff Reporter
Singareni management refuses to upgrade UP schools to high schools
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Children of coal workers forced to drop out after class VII
Four permanent teachers work in these five schools
They don't get benefits like HRA, LTC etc
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KARIMNAGAR: The plan to provide quality education to children of coal workers of the Singareni Collieries Company Limited by opening high schools in the Godavarikhani coal belt has remained just that - a plan. The management of the Collieries is blamed for this.
When the trade unions of coal belt went on strike for welfare schemes such as education and medical facilities, the Government had accepted their demands. It also issued GO no 336 dated October 7, 1991 sanctioning five high schools with primary and secondary sections and sanctioned 23 teaching and non-teaching posts for the five schools.
The GO also stated that "the recurring expenditure estimated about Rs 15.60 lakh per annum towards salaries of teaching and non-teaching staff for these five schools will be borne by the Government." The Government had also sanctioned Rs 15 crores to the SCCL management. But the schools, started in 1992, have not been upgraded into high schools forcing the children to stop their education after class VII.
Not much choice
The students were either forced to study in private schools coughing up huge fees after class VII or drop out and become labourers in the coal belt industrial area. Even after instructions from the Government to upgrade the schools, the SCCL management was neglecting the issue. The district educational department had recruited teachers for the Singareni schools. But all of them left the schools following negligence by the management and failure to upgrade the schools. The teachers alleged that the SCCL management was denying them benefits such as HRA, medical reimbursement, LTC etc.
The only saving grace is the accommodation provided by the management in the Singareni quarters, they said.
Source: http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/19/stories/2006011910550500.htm |
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Singareni Collieries plans Rs 3,835-cr new projects
Ch. Prashanth Reddy
Godavarikhani (A.P.) , Dec. 5
SINGARENI Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL), a public sector undertaking, will be opening 16 opencast and 9 underground mines at an estimated capital outlay of Rs 3,835 crore during 2004-17.
The 115-year-old coal company will be closing 11 underground and 6 opencast mines during the 13-year period resulting in a production loss of 44 per cent.
To augment the reduction in production capacity and to meet increasing demand, SCCL has decided to commence 25 new projects, the company General Managers, Mr B. Ramesh Kumar and Mr Ch. Venkateswar Rao, told visiting newspersons here on Sunday.
SCCL, in which the Andhra Pradesh Government has a 51 per cent stake and the Union Government has 49 per cent shareholding, is the only coal company in the southern region catering to the coal requirements of power, cement and other core and non-core sector industries. Its coal supply accounts for 55 per cent of the power generation in Andhra Pradesh.
The company had made a remarkable turnaround in the past seven years. It had undergone a turbulent period during 1996-97 when it posted an accumulated loss of Rs 1,219 crore. It had been referred twice to the Board of Industrial and Financial Reconstruction in 1992 and 1996.
The company officials stated that militant trade unionism, poor industrial relations, lack of focus on customers and rising cost of production have adversely affected the performance of SCCL. There were as many as 475 strikes in a single year, which affected the financial fundamentals of the company.
Following this, a series of structural reforms were initiated from 1997-98. Since then, the company posted profit for the seventh consecutive year in 2003-04 and wiped out its accumulated losses in 2002-03.
Source: http://www.blonnet.com/2004/12/06/stories/2004120601020300.htm |
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PF office next month in Karimnagar dist
Our Bureau
The office to be opened at Godavarikhani next month would work as a sub-office of the Regional PF office in Hyderabad.
HYDERABAD, Dec. 13
IN a move that would benefit the over a lakh employees of the Singareni Coal Company Ltd (SCCL), the Union Coal Ministry has decided to open a provident fund (PF) office in Godavarikhani in Karimnagar district of Andhra Pradesh.
The Union Coal Minister, Ms Uma Bharati, has directed the Commissioner, Coal Mines Provident Fund Organisation to open the office by the middle of next month, according to an official release here.
Reviewing the pendency of PF cases and other advances at a meeting with the officers of the Ministry in the Capital, the Minister asked the Commissioner to sete a time schedule for settling such payments.
Ms Bharati also asked the Coal Mines PF Organisation to modernise its offices including computerisation for speedy disposal.
Currently, the needs of the workers of SCCL were being met by the Regional Provident Fund office in Hyderabad. Incidentally, a PF office set up in Kothagudem in Karimnagar district in 1963 was shifted to the Hyderabad Regional PF office in 1973. Since then, the large workforce of the coal company have been facing problems of delays.
The Coal Ministry decision follows several representations by the SCCL workers since 1973 and support from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), MP, Ms C. Suguna Kumari, who raised the issue at the Parliamentary Consultative Committee Meetings of the Ministry of Coal, the release said.
The office to be opened at Godavarikhani next month would work as a sub-office of the Regional PF office in Hyderabad.
With an office in Godavarikhani, workers would be saved the bother of travelling all the way to Hyderabad to settle claims relating to marriage, children's education and house building.
The huge pendancy in cases would also be reduced fast.
Source: http://www.blonnet.com/2002/12/14/stories/2002121401881700.htm |
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Police official interacts with coal miners
Staff Reporter
Career guidance programme to be launched for workers' children
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Treks for 3 km in the humid and suffocating underground mine
Inspects working conditions of the coal miners
Urges miners to give up alcoholism
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KARIMNAGAR : Superintendent of Police Devendra Singh Chauhan entered the Singareni Collieries Company limited (SCCL) 5 incline underground mine in the Godavarikhani region on Tuesday and interacted with the coal workers.
This is the first time an SP has entered an underground coal mine and trekked for about 3 km where the coal miners were excavating the coal without proper light and air. Amid the risk of suffocation and humid conditions, the SP traversed through the underground mine and inspected coal excavation works and studied the working conditions of the coal miners.
The Singareni coal workers were all praise for the SP for entering the underground mine and interacting with the workers. The workers have urged the SP to visit their mines frequently and redress their grievances.
Speaking on the occasion Mr. Chauhan assured the coal workers that he would visit a coalmine once in two months. He also said the Godavarikhani ASP, Srikanth would visit the mines every month and interact with the coal workers and solve their problems with the help of Singareni authorities.
The SP also urged the coal miners to give up alcoholism and focus on the welfare of their families and their children in particular. He promised to conduct a special career guidance and counselling programme for the children of coal workers under the banner of `Yuvatha meloku' in Godavarikhani region soon.
Source:
http://www.thehindu.com/2005/11/30/stories/2005113016890300.htm |
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All set for Ramagundam civic polls
By Our Staff Reporter
KARIMNAGAR, JUNE 21. Arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of elections to the Ramagundam Municipality to be held on Tuesday. Elections for the posts of Chairman and 34 Ward councillors for the industrial Ramagundam Municipality would be held.
A total of 1,49,958 voters - 78,045 men and 71,913 women - are expected to exercise their franchise in 187 polling booths in the town.
The people would cast their votes on ballot papers and not through the electronic voting machines that were used during the General Elections. Polling personnel have reached the town.
The Collector, C. Parthasarathi, and officials, including the Peddapalli RDO, Chandrashekhar Reddy, the Municipal Commissioner, Ravindra, the DSP, Vijay Kumar, the Municipal Engineer, Md. Abid Hussain and the MRO, Badrul Hussain, have reviewed the arrangements.
The Godavarikhani police sub-division has deployed over 500 police personnel, including 250 constabulary staff, 200 Home Guards and 50 officers.
The Godavarikhani DSP, Vijay Kumar, said 11 mobile teams, led by an SI, with six constables and CIs, have been constituted. The entry of outsiders into town has been restricted and propitiatory orders imposed.
Source: http://www.hindu.com/2004/06/22/stories/2004062210920300.htm |
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| Another Singareni miner killed in second accident
Hyderabad, Nov 13 (IANS) In a second accident in 24 hours, one worker was killed and another injured Monday in the state-owned Singareni Colliers Company Ltd (SCCL), raising questions about safety standards in one of India's oldest coalmines.
The accident took place in the Godavarikhani mine in Karimnagar district, about 175 km from here, when its sidewall caved in. The deceased was identified as S. Krishnamurthy. Another worker, M. Ravinder, was seriously wounded.
Four miners were killed Sunday when the roof of a mine collapsed in Kothagudem in Khammam district.
Two workers, including South African national Thomas N. Kosi, were rescued from the underground mine on Sunday.
The Singereni mines numbering 70 are spread over four districts of the Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh.
The mishap in Godavarikhani took place a few minutes after Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy visited Kothagundem to console the family members of the four workers killed in Sunday's mishap.
He also announced an inquiry into the accident and assured the workers that if the inquiry proves that the mishap took place due to negligence of officials, strict action would be taken against them.
The chief minister announced a compensation of Rs.700,000 to the kin of each of the deceased. While the state government will pay Rs.350,000, the company management will pay an equal amount besides other benefits as per the norms. He also promised a job to at least one member of the deceased's families.
Leaders of the employees' unions demanded a compensation of at least Rs.2 million to the kin of each of the deceased. They alleged that the management was not taking safety measures despite the company making good profits.
In 2003, 17 miners were killed due to sudden flooding of a coalmine in Godavarikhani. It was the worst accident in the company's 115-year-old history.
SSCL, which is one of the largest public sector coal companies in the country, produces about 100,000 tonnes of coal every day. More than 100,000 employees work in 57 underground and 10 open caste mines spread over Khammam, Adilabad, Karimnagar and Warangal districts.
The state holds 49 percent stake while the remaining equity is with the central government.
Source: http://www.indiasnews.com/News-210822.html |
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