Chennai: A city-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Arappor Iyakkam, has exposed coal scam through RTI alleging that the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) has caused loss of Rs 6,066 crore to the exchequer during procurement of imported coal during the years between 2012 and 2016.
The members also pointed their fingers at the then ministers and bureaucrats for the scam.
Tangedco lacked transparency during tending process and it quickly completed the tender process well ahead of stipulated time, the NGO said.
The total installed capacity of thermal power stations owned by Tangedco as on March 31, 2017, was 4,320 MW for which 21.5 million tonne of coal was required annually and it prompted Tangedco to float seven tenders between July 2012 and February 2016, the staff at the NGO said.
Addressing the media, Jayaram Venkadesan, convenor, Arappor Iyakkam, said “We accessed the copies of all tenders through RTI, which speak volume. Further, all the imported coals lacked quality too and tender was given to those close to influenced politicians. Further, we have petitioned with the director of vigilance and anti-corruption to register and investigate the case regarding this coal scam.”
Stating that Tangedco imported huge quantities of coal between 2012 and 2016 for its power plants through tender process, Jayaram pointed out “the tender processes reveal that there has been a significant difference between the market price of the imported coal as per specification and the price for which it was bought as per the purchase orders.” There was a minimum of 18 per cent difference between the market price and the purchase cost, he noted.
The RTI also said that Tangedco in total purchased 2.44 crore tonne of steam coal from various companies. “Out of this, 49 per cent of the quantity of coal imported were given to Adani Global Pte Ltd (1.9 crore MT),” said RTI.
