With the arrival of monsoon, there is unlikely to be a shortage of lignite in textile units in Surat.
More than 350 textile dyeing and processing units in Surat use coal from Tadeshwar and coal imported from Indonesia as boiler fuel.
Though lignite shortage has hit textile units in Surat for the past few years, Surat’s nearly 350 mills are unlikely to face trouble this monsoon season. Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) has assured South Gujarat Textile Processing Association (SGTPA) of adequate stock of fuel used to fire boilers in textile mills.
Amid concerns over the prevailing pattern in the port city, the SGTPA held a meeting with the GMDC on Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by board members including SGTPA President Jitu Vakharia and Vinod Aggarwal. More than 350 textile dyeing and processing units in Surat use coal from Tadeshwar and coal imported from Indonesia as boiler fuel.
Sharing more details about the meeting, SGTPA President Jitu Vakharia said, “During the monsoon season, the industry faces problems in the supply of imported coal, which is very expensive and lignite supply also becomes a problem. GMDC is extracting lignite coal from the project at Tadeshwar in Surat Mining activities stop during the rainy season and in today’s meeting the officials assured that there will be no problem in lignite supply this year as they have collected surplus from the mines. Lignite coal is produced.
He said: “We have also called for reduction in lignite coal rates. The price of imported coal is Rs 6000 to 7000 per tonne and its calorific value is between 5200 to 5500, whereas the price of Tadkeshwar lignite coal is Rs 4000 to 4500 per tonne and its calorific value is between 4000 to 4200. ,
Generally, mill owners use a mixture of imported coal and lignite coal.
“A dyeing and printing plant requires about 30 to 40 tonnes of lignite coal per day,” said Vinod Aggarwal, member of SGTPA. “If the quality of lignite coal is good, the quantity used is reduced.”
