Telangana’s Singareni Clarifies Coal Stock Position, Refutes KTR’s Allegations
Hyderabad, June 6 (TNT): State-owned Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) on Saturday refuted allegations made by BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) regarding the alleged disappearance of nearly 40 lakh metric tonnes of coal worth about ₹1,600 crore and clarified that the company had only 26.51 lakh tonnes of coal stock as of June 4.
In a statement, SCCL said the available stock at its mines and Coal Handling Plants (CHPs) represented the lowest coal inventory maintained during the last decade and was being continuously dispatched to consumers through rail and road transport based on demand.
The clarification came after KTR wrote to Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy seeking an investigation into the alleged disappearance of coal stocks from the company.
SCCL said maintaining coal stocks was a normal operational practice followed by all coal-producing companies to ensure uninterrupted supply to thermal power stations and other consumers.
Coal stocks generally accumulate during the high-production period from November to May and are utilized later when production is affected by seasonal or operational factors, it explained.
According to the company, coal stocks stood at 70 lakh tonnes in 2015-16 and 74 lakh tonnes in 2016-17, while the average stock maintained between 2014 and 2024 was around 50 lakh tonnes.
The company said adequate coal reserves were particularly essential during the monsoon season and noted that it generally maintained around 30 lakh tonnes of stock, sufficient to meet nearly 15 days’ requirement of thermal power stations.
SCCL also defended its decision to make Site Visit Certificates mandatory for overburden (OB) removal tenders, stating that the measure was introduced in May 2025 to ensure bidders fully understand site conditions, safety requirements and operational challenges before participating in tenders.
The company said several contractors in the past had failed to properly assess local conditions, leading to delays, abandonment of works, production losses and contractual disputes.
Projects such as Srirampur OC-II and IK OC were cited as examples where inadequate assessment of site conditions affected planned production targets.
SCCL maintained that the Site Visit Certificate requirement was not unique to the company and was already being followed by organisations such as GMDC, GIPCL, NMDC and several EPC and solar power projects.
Similar provisions had also been implemented earlier for Coal Handling Plant projects within SCCL based on recommendations of CMPDI, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited.
The company said the requirement was intended to promote informed bidding and efficient execution of works rather than restrict competition.
It added that all contractors were being facilitated with site visits and certificates and that tenders awarded after the introduction of the policy had been progressing smoothly without major issues.
TNT TS
