Illegal storage, sale of coal: KPCL probe team visits RTPS, YTPS

A probe team from Bengaluru on Wednesday visited Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS) and Yermarus Thermal Power Station (YTPS) following the complaints of unauthorised storage and sale of coal allocated to the thermal plants.

The probe team comprising Yatiraj Raghunath, Ajay and Krishnamurthy visited the coal dumps at RTPS and YTPS where coal wagons are offloaded.

The contract to unload coal wagons at the said thermal plants was awarded to a contractor from Guntakal, Andhra Pradesh. It is alleged that the contractor in cahoots with a section of officers used to unload a portion of coal allocated to the plants at an unauthorised place.

A senior officer, on the condition of anonymity, told DH, “The coal wagons should completely offload at the designated places at RTPS and YTPS. Only then the officers concerned should allow the goods trains with empty rakes leave the plants. But the unholy nexus of the contractor and officers made sure the goods trains leave the plants with a large portion of coal in the wagons, which they would sell outside. The probe team will submit a report on coal theft to the director of Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd in three days,” the officer said.

The probe team interacted with RTPS executive director Sureshbabu.