Jharkhand resumes coal supply to Punjab power plants

Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) heaved a sigh of relief with the recent movement of coal from the mines of the Panem Coal Mines Limited in Pakur district of Jharkhand.

The 22-day-long agitation in one of Jharkhand’s largest mines run by Panem Coal Mines Ltd was called off on December 9 after the company headed by its chairman and managing director (CMD) Ujwal Upadhyay agreed to implement the provisions of the agreement it signed with the Rajmahal Pahari Bachao Anndolan Samiti in 2006.

The dharna and economic blockade had started by Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) led by former state chief minister Babulal Marandi, State Congress committee led by former deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi and Dumka-based outfit - Rajmahal Pahari achao Andolan Samiti led by Anil Murmu for implementation of the conditions of the MoU signed in 2006 with Panem Coal Mines Ltd.

The settlement for withdrawal of the indefinite dharna and economic blockade had been possible with the intervention of the commissioner of Santhal Pargana Avinash Kumar at a meeting in Dumka last week in presence of the.Panem Coal Minies Ltd chairman and managing director (CMD), Ujjwal Upadhyay, Congress leader Stephen Marandi, Convener of the Rajmahal Pahari Bachao Andolan Samiti Anil Murmu.

Panem Coal Mines Ltd owned mines are located in Pakur district of Jharkhand with an estimated reserves of 562 million tones of coal.. Panem has got the right for mining the coalfields for 44 years.