Coal India has put the brakes on the double-digit slide in production and offtake in the first three months of the fiscal. The public sector miner has produced 37.36 million tonnes (mt) in July, down 3 per cent compared with the corresponding month a year ago. Production was down 10.9 per cent in April, 11.3 per cent in May and 12.8 per cent in June.

Offtake during July was 43.39 mt, down 6.9 per cent over the corresponding month a year ago. The offtake during April, May and June were down 25.5 per cent, 23.3 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively.

Coal India officials said despite the Covid-induced slowdown and a three-day strike in the first week of July, the miner was able to ramp up its supplies for the month.

“Our production and off-take were weighed down by the Covid-led siege since the beginning of 2020-21. But for the first time in this fiscal the downward growth in a month fell below double digits in both the facets in July,” said a senior executive, adding that production is expected to go up post monsoon with a positive trend in overburden removal.

The overburden removal surged by 23.1 per cent in July with the miner excavating 88.46 million cubic metres during the month.

Coal India relies on opencast mines for 95 per cent of its annual coal output which implies overburden removal exposing coal seams for future production at short notice is crucial.