Amid the second wave of COVID-19, Coal India Ltd’s (CIL) offtake increased to 54.1 million t in April 2021.

Of this, the power sector lifted 42.4 million t accounting for nearly 78% of total supplies. The remaining 11.7 million t was made up by the non-power sector.

Offtake could have been even higher but the pandemic spread afflicted over 5400 employees of the company and their wards across subsidiaries including contractual workers, slowing down the operations. Most of them are involved in the frontline output and offtake operations. Loading from private washeries, good sheds, and transport through road mode also took a hit, said a press statement issued by CIL.

“Despite the setback, coal supplies logged a 3.3% growth compared to a COVID-free April in FY20, while the growth was even higher at 6.1% against April FY19 when CIL chalked up its highest ever coal offtake of 607 million t,” a Senior Company Official said in the statement.