It is reported that Orissa government’s restriction on day time work and movement due to excessive heat in the state has hit East Coast Railway’s coal loading as the average daily loading having dropped to around 10,000 wagons from the targeted 10,500. Also the stocks of Talcher coal at the railheads dropped to 60,000 tonnes a few days ago.

This prompted the union coal secretary to ask the East Coast Railway to restrict loading only for power houses, shutting out other consumers.

The loading of imported coal at Paradip too has been hit because of the non availability of coal. For the past 10 days, there is no stock of imported coal on account of Steel Authority of India Limited. There is also the problem of congestion at the port.

Mr K Raghuramaiah chairman of Paradip Port Trust attributed the congestion problem at Paradip port to Haldia dock which remained closed to traffic for several days. As a result, Haldia bound ships were now coming to Paradip.