SHILLONG: The much awaited modernization of the Mawmluh Cherra Cement Limited (MCCL) is all set to be completed in September.
“We are on track to meet the deadline. We have been able to resolve all the issues which have been stumbling blocks in the completion of this project,” MCCL chairman Sanjay Goyal informed here on Monday.
Goyal also informed that there were some issues on the reduction in the supply of material for the project. “But this issues have also been resolved,” he said.
He also informed that the project is in the advance stage. “We are making all efforts to complete the project by September,” Goyal informed.
Informing that a total amount of Rs. 85 crore had been sanctioned when the modernization plan was conceived in 2006, Deputy Chief Minister Prof RC Laloo added that the cost of the project has escalated due to time overrun.
“Till February 2014, a total amount of Rs.11.46 crore has been spent,” Prof Laloo had informed earlier.
While revealing the physical achievement on the various stages of the project, the Deputy Chief Minister said that most of the sections (civil, mechanical and electrical) have almost been completed. “The civil work is 100 per cent completed. Major areas of the mechanical work are completed. The installations of the various electrical components have been completed,” Prof. Laloo said.
The modernisation of MCCL is needed since the condition of the plant and machinery deteriorated because of wear and tear, leading to a decline in production and earning. The production capacity of the plant, which was around 12000 metric tonnes, has gone down to 5000 to 6000 metric tonnes in a year due to wear and tear.
Goyal stated that the production capacity of the plant would increase to 18000 metric tonnes a year once the new plant is commissioned.
The positive benefit of the modernised plant is that it requires less energy and electricity and a total investment which has been made in this new plant is around Rs 100 crore.
Set up in the early 1960s, the MCCL is the oldest Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) in the State and the only state-owned cement plant.