Dispatches from CIL during the month was also down by 2.81 per cent at 18.99 mt compared with last year due to heavy stock pile ups at power stations and Paradip and Vizag ports, an official release said.

The dispatches during September were also lower to cement sector and railways due to demand constraint.

The release said production during the month was lower due to shortfall in production in Easter Coalfields Ltd (ECL), Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL) and Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL).

However, production and despatch were higher at Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd (NLC) and Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) during the month.NLC's lignite production during September at 1.59 mt was higher by 2.52 per cent compared with the same month last year, while SCCL's raw coal production and despatch were higher by 5.15 per cent and 2.5 per centrespectively over the previous year.

Cil's outstanding dues as on September 19, 1998, from the power sector stood at Rs 4613.86 crore, while nlc's outstanding dues from southern region electricity boards were at Rs 1055.17 crore as on September 30, 1998.