Chandrapur: District guardian minister Vijay Wadettiwar on Monday ordered probe into 4.50 lakh tonne coal going missing from Baranj opencast mine of Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) near Bhadravati in 2018-19.
During a meeting held with collector Ajay Gulhane and others, Wadettiwar claimed he has received complaints about pilferage of 4.50 lakh tonne coal from the KPCL mine. Hence, the inquiry has been ordered to verify how and where this coal was disposed off.
Baranj mines of KPCL had carried out mining in Baranj I–IV, Kiloni and Manora blocks in Bhadravati tehsil from September 2008 to March 31, 2015. The mine was shut following de-allocation of coal blocks as per Supreme Court orders in March 2015. As per records with the administration, the company had excavated 1.51 crore tonne coal till February 2015. Out of this, 1.47 crore tonne coal was dispatched and the mine was left with stock of 4.51 lakh tonne, when the mine was closed.