Jogi wants comments from PM on SECL coal transportation scam

New Delhi, July 17 (UNI) All India Congress Committee (AICC) member Ajit Jogi has sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's "comment" on an alleged scam at the South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), Bilaspur.

A report submitted by Mr Jogi says that a private company called Sindhu group has been transporting coal for the last twenty years through 26 Ex-Servicemen (ESM) companies operating under fake names transporting 45 Million Tonnes per annum without any tender.

"They have not only created monopoly in the field of transportation but also charging 2 to three times more than the prevailing market rates." The mine management has virtually surrendered control to the group which practically has taken over the mine as far as coal loading and transportation are concerned. Mine management has no role to play in coal production except drilling and blasting, collecting slips and making payment to contractors.

The report pointed out that although there are different ESM companies and payments are made to different companies through their respective authorised representatives, all the ESM companies are operating functionally as one single group. They have common workshop facility.

This is violatng the provisions of agreements signed between SECL and ESM companies. The Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of Coal India Limited, Kolkata has also pointed out that the payment is being made violating provisions of agreement signed between SECL and ESM companies. ESM companies have been allowed to deploy higher capacity tippers of capacity higher than stipulated in the agreement while the normative rates are based on 10 T tippers.

The group was engaged in the transportation of coal in the Gevra/Dipika Mines area under SECL.

Mr Jogi in his report says that by not going for open tender for all coal loading and transporting, the area is losing huge amount every year.

The report suggests that SECL should be asked to set up a Conveyor Belt with on line ash monitoring system from the Bunkers to the washery for the supply of coal instead of road transport.

Maximum weighbridge should be installed in the Gevra/Dipika Mines at the loading and unloading points and weight should be recorded for each tonne of coal produced/transported.

Open tender should be invited for all the transportation work and work should be awarded on Letter of Intent basis but some quantum of work may be kept reserved for ESM companies, which should be awarded on LI basis.

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