Power generation of NTPC plant badly hit with goods derailment

Bhagalpur (Bihar), Feb 7 (PTI) Power generation wasseverely hit at Bihar''s Kahalgaon-based NTPC plant with fiveof its units shut down following disruption in coal supplyfrom Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) Lalmatia mine tothe plant.

The supply was snapped after 21 wagons of a goodstrain carrying coal to the plant from Lalmatia coalfields inGodda district in Jharkhand derailed near Bochahi villageunder Sanokhar police station of Bhagalpur district yesterday.

With the MGR tracks of NTPC blocked due to thederailment, the plant authorities decided to shut down fiveunits this morning, official sources said adding two units ofthe plant were operational at present severely affecting powergeneration, sources said.

Work was going on a war-footing to ensure earlyrestoration of transporation of coal through the MGR tracks ofNTPC for resumption in usual power generation by the plant,the sources said.

One person, identified as Kundan Yadav, was foundtrapped underneath the damaged wagons in a serious condition,police said.

The police suspected him to be a member of anorganised criminal gang indulging in pilfering of coal fromNTPC''s MGR track in course of its transportation.

It was suspected that Kundan had snappedthe vacuum pipe between two wagons with an intention to stopthe speeding train. While trying to do so, he got trapped.The bridge NO 25 at the accident site, from where someof the derailed wagons rolled down, also got damagedin the accident.