AERB To Consider Action Against Delhi University

Fresh Fears Over Cobalt-60 Pencils

India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) will meet soon to decide on the action to be taken against Delhi University in the wake of the recent cobalt-60 scare in the city.

The board has received a response to its request for information from the university after an irradiation machine containing the cobalt-60 was sold to a scrap dealer in the city. A number of cobalt-60 pencils are still missing.

The resultant leak of cobalt-60 caused the death of one person and the hospitalisation f seven others.

Dr Ompal Singh, secretary of the AERB, said it was ‘‘too early’’ to comment on the the university’s response. However, senior officers at AERB and BARC said they had found “discrepancies”.

‘‘We are waiting for the police to investigate the auction and those involved in it. We will collaborate the two reports before taking a final decision,’’ a board member told The Times of India.

An AERB team visited Delhi University on Monday to check levels of uranium near the university’s science laboratories.

‘‘We have received a communication from the Mumbai headquarters of AERB stating that searches are still going on. A final report will be sent to us only when the entire process is over,’’ said DCP (North) Sagarpreet Hooda.

It is believed that the lead cover of the gamma irradiator -- in which the radioactive metal was kept -- was melted at a furnace at Rewari in Haryana by a scrap dealer and there are fears that some of the cobalt-60 pencils had fallen into the “wrong hands”.

The Delhi government has directed all medical establishments in the city to dispose of radioactive material strictly as per rules and regulations framed by the AERB.

Coal India To Sign Vizag Port Deal

Coal India To Sign Vizag Port Deal

Coal India Ltd (CIL) is expected to sign a deal to acquire space at Vizag Steel’s port in Visakhapatnam.

CIL Chairman, Partha Bhattacharya, , said the company is looking to go in for joint venture or acquire parts of existing ports rather than setting up its own.

“We are more or less close to signing a deal with Vizag Steel to start with. RIL/RINL has moved out of Vizag Steel so that space has been offered to us and we have accepted it for our imports. Compensation needs to be discussed. A 4-5 million tonne capacity would be available to us at any point in time,” he said.

CIL is also in talks with other ports, including Gangavaram, Dhamra, Krishnapattanam, and Kandla and is also looking at coal-bed methane and coal mine gasification projects, though Mr Bhattacharya said water contamination problem was a concern.


“As long as there is no definite solution (to the water contamination problem) we can’t risk it because we don’t have coal in barren places. But if there is any technology evolving anywhere in the world, we will take it. We are seriously looking at underground coal gasification projects,” he said.

Coal India Ltd. may also spend $1.7 billion to buy stakes in five mines in Australia, Indonesia and the U.S. to help bridge a shortfall in Asia’s third-biggest energy consumer.

Coal India Nearing Peabody Mines Deal

$1 Billion Deal Being Finalised

Coal India Limited is nearing a $US1 billion deal with US miner Peabody Energy that will give CIL a stake in four Australian coalmines, along with other international assets.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Phalguni Guha, chief general manager of Coal India's foreign-venture arm, Coal Videsh, said that the deal could include thermal coal and metallurgical coal assets in the United States and Indonesia as well as Australia.

Coal India has appointed DSP Merrill Lynch to assist with finalising the deal structure.

Coal India IPO Expected In July or August

Indian government to divest 10 per cent stake

The Indian government is to list a stake of around 10 per cent in Coal India Ltd (CIL), the country’s second-biggest coal miner in a move that will raise around $2.7 billion.

Speaking on the sidelines of an industry conference, the country’s coal minister, Sriprakash Jaiswal said that the government would shortly be announcing merchant bankers to advise on the flotation. No date has been given, but it is estimated that CIL will come to market around July or August.

Mr Jaiswal said that coal output in the current financial year will rise to 603 million tonnes, against 535 million tonnes in 2009/10.

However Mr Jaiswal warned that there would be a coal shortfall of around 81 million tonnes, against 70 million tonnes in the last fiscal year and the country’s industry should look overseas to secure supplies.

"In the next year (2011/12) no matter to what extent we meet the shortfall, the requirement will grow more than that.

"The speed with which power plants are coming up, the requirement for cement is rising, requirement for sponge iron is rising, all these companies should look for properties overseas," he said.

"They should not depend on coal properties only in India."

Analysts believe that once the company begins to move into the private sector, it should be easier to reform production and increase productivity.

The Coal India IPO is likely to be the second-biggest public offering in the country’s history, behind Reliance Power’s $3 billion listing in 2008. Proceeds will go to reducing the Indian government’s widest deficit in over 20 years.

Coal India Proposes 20 New Coal Washeries

India’s state-owned coal miner, Coal India Ltd (CIL), has announced plans to invest about Rs 25 billion to set up 20 coal washeries with an annual capacity of 111.10 million tonnes, according to the pre-budget survey laid before the country’s Parliament.

The washeries will reduce the amount of ash in domestic coal and improve its calorific content. Indian coal contains an average ash content of 35 to 38 per cent.

The proposed units comprise seven coking coal washeries and 13 non-coking coal washeries. No time frame has been given for the construction of the washeries.