Coal production hit in India following strike by trade unions

Coal production at almost all major Indian coalfields was affected on Tuesday, following a five- day strike called by five major trade unions of state-owned Coal India Limited.

The unions have been protesting against the central government' s plans to allow private companies to mine and sell coal, sources said, adding they boycotted last week a meeting called by Indian Coal Minster Piyush Goyal in the national capital.

Coal India, the second largest state-owned company, produces around 80 percent of India's overall coal and feeds 82 of the 86 coal-based thermal power plants across the country.

The strike is likely to cause a production loss of up to 1.5 million tonnes a day, the sources said. Endi