Penganga Project of Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) is now the largest Opencast Project of the Company with a Capacity of 6.3 million tonnes (MT). With fast track clearance of Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) few days back, the Capacity of Penganga Project has been increased from 4.5 to 6.3 MT thereby making the largest opencast project of WCL. Similarly, Umrer Opencast Project of Umrer Area is also well set to Produce 4.9 MT Coal by getting approval of MoEF for Capacity enhancement from 3.5 to 4.9 MT. Both these Projects will give a major boost to WCL in achieving targeted Coal Production for the first time since its inception. This has been made possible only with the concerted efforts of Team WCL under “MISSION : WCL 2.0”.
Penganga Project of WCL, a Greenfield Project in Wani Area, was inaugurated in March 2015 with the planned capacity of 4.5 MT. The Project, which is in fast track mode, could achieve 80% of production capacity in record two years’ time. With the scope of further enhancement, capacity of Project has been increased from 4.5 to 6.3 MT during the current fiscal. With great efforts of Team Wani, Penganga Project is well ahead to reach the capacity of 6.3 MT in the current year. This tremendous boost from the Project will help Wani Area, to achieve total coal production of 13.9 MT, thereby becoming largest coal producing Area of WCL.
Umrer Opencast Project had suffered a major setback in 2011, when the Project was inundated completely by breaching of embankment of Amb River. Great efforts were put in by employees of Umrer Area by successful diversion of Amb River in 2 years’ time, which resulted into revival of Umrer Opencast Project and regaining its earlier production capacity of 3.5 MT during 2017-18. Looking to further potential of the mine, the capacity has been increased by MoEF & now Umrer Opencast Project is well set to produce its highest capacity of 4.9 MT this year. After the incident of 2011, the Umrer Area was left with only coal producing project i.e. Makardhokra-II and could have utmost produced 1 MT per year. With great efforts of Team Umrer, 3 Greenfield Projects namely Makardhokra-I, Gokul and Dinesh were opened in last 3 years. Adding to it with enhanced capacity of Umrer Opencast, Area is now poised to produce 12 MT during the current fiscal, thus becoming the second largest coal producing Area of WCL.
It is worthwhile to mention here that during last 4 years, WCL created a record by opening 20 Projects with an investment of Rs 6321 Crores, which will add 32 MT of production during current fiscal. Without opening of any new mine during last 4 years, WCL would have remained stagnant at a level of 19-20 MT till now as more than 20 MT of production coming from existing mines exhausted during last 4 years.
Targets of production and despatch of WCL for the current fiscal is 52.5 MT and 59.7 MT respectively. Till now company is ahead with a growth of 15.8% and 13.2% respectively. With the introduction of “MISSION : WCL 2.0” and intensive monitoring of fundamentals of the Company, WCL is well set to achieve the target of production and despatch for the first time since its inception. Efforts are being made not only to achieve the target but also to surpass it by a comfortable margin. This will not only help the company in providing more coal to its consumers but also achieving goal of good financial results during current year after suffering losses during the last two consecutive years. Positive result of financial parameters have already started reflecting in first two quarters of 2018-19.
