Coal India Ltd is anticipating a financial crisis in its ailing West Bengal-based subsidiary Eastern Coalfields, in case it has to postpone billing the consumers in West Bengal till February 16, as is proposed or observed by the Calcutta High Court. While hearing a public interest litigation on January 6, the Court asked Coal India to “consider” maintaining the status quo till January 16. The time limit has now been further extended to February 16.
ECL has a manpower of nearly 83,000 — over one-fifth the 3.7 lakh employed in CIL.
“We normally bill once in 10 days. We had first postponed it till January 6. If we are to postpone the billing further there may be a crisis at ECL,” the CIL chairman said, adding that the company is taking legal views on the issue.