Coal goods trains fail farmers' agitation in Punjab

- Five thermal power plants shut down due to coal shortage

Amritsar 5th November 2020 Thursday

Punjab was facing a serious problem of blackout at any time. Five thermal power plants were shut down due to shortage of coal.

The trains are closed due to the ongoing agitation against three new laws framed by the central government for farmers. Freight trains carrying coal have not reached Punjab for many days, so the thermal power plants do not have the required coal. On the occasion of Parvadhiraj like Diwali, the possibility of darkness in the homes of Punjab is not ruled out.

A Punjab State Electricity Board spokesperson said an average of three hours of power cuts would be forced from Wednesday (today). The farmers are protesting against the so-called anti-farmer law and threatened not to allow trains to run till November 7. Even now hundreds of people are sitting on the tracks of the trains so the trains cannot run.

Currently, the state of Punjab has a daily demand of 6,000 MW due to the festivals. Of this, 5,000 MW comes from the central government. Nabha and Talwandi Sabo power plants are privately owned. Both the power plants were shut down by the company due to lack of coal. The Lehra Mohabbat and Ropada power plants have enough coal to last two days. "Then we have to black out," the spokesman said.