BJP leader G.V.L. Narasimha Rao on April 17 (Wednesday) appealed to the striking workers of the Adani Gangavaram Port (AGP) to allow transportation of nearly 2.5 lakh tonnes of imported coking coal lying at the port to the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP).
In a release here, Mr. Rao said that lack of adequate stock of coking coal and non-operation of coke ovens might result in “irreparable damage” to the coke oven batteries and coke ovens at the steel plant. This may also lead to shutting down of operations at the plant for several months.
Unlike blast furnaces, coke ovens need to remain operational all the time. If the looming coking coal crisis is not averted it could cost the the plant a whopping ₹20,000 crore,” the former MP said.
Mr. Narasimha Rao also said he had discussed arranging coking coal from alternate sources with RINL-VSP CMD Atul Bhatt to overcome the “impending crisis”.
