The Hindu Business Line : ‘Generation from NLC set to increase’

Chennai, June 11 Even as the non-permanent workers’ strike continues, electricity generation at Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) is likely to inch up to near normalcy levels, thanks to the corporation’s mobilising workforce from outside, sources in NLC told Business Line on Wednesday.

On a normal day, NLC will produce 48.8 million units of electricity. However, after the casual workers struck work, demanding to be made permanent staff, generation has been coming down steadily.

On June 1, generation was 39 million units, which steadily kept declining day after day to reach only 19 million units on June 10.

However, a senior source in NLC explained that on the third day of the strike, a conveyor belt carrying lignite to the boilers developed a snag and there were no workers to repair it.

NLC has since brought in some workers from the neighbouring villages and the belt has been repaired. Generation therefore is set to rise. It is possible that generation today itself might be higher — the figures for today will be known only on tomorrow (Thursday).

production

However, the source said that electricity production may to up to only around 35 million units. To raise it further, more people are being mobilised. The source said that if NLC could get another 800-odd workers, the corporation would function to full capacity.

NLC has on its rolls 19,000 permanent staff and another 12,000 contract labourers. Highly placed sources in the company say that the corporation needs no more than 14,000 of the permanent staff and about 2,000 of the casual labourers.

Operating to full capacity with thin strength of casual workers would starkly slow the surplus.

Today, the wage bill for the non-permanent labourers works out to around Rs 150 crore.

As regards the surplus permanent staff, sources said that there was ample scope for deploying them at NLC’s upcoming projects, particularly those coming in the neighbouring areas of Tuticorin and Jayamkondan.

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