Prakash Javadekar Tweets Old Video As Govt Supplying Coal To Tackle Shortage

Former Union Minister Prakash Javadekar tweeted a video from January 2021 of a train transporting coal claiming it is a recent initiative by the government to tackle the looming shortage.

This was tweeted in the backdrop of India is running perilously low on coal for thermal power generation according to data from the Central Electricity Authority. According to CEA's daily release on coal stocks through the National Power Portal, 17 of India's 135 coal-fired thermal power plants have zero days worth of coal, which is as of October 3, 2021.

Also Read: Explained: India's Coal Supplies Are Running Dangerously Low

The 2.09 minutes video shows a train loaded with coal passing a station passing by a station.

Javadekar tweeted the video with the caption, "4 km long Rack train with 4 engines being run on war footing basis to supply coal to power plants. This is #Modigovt & @narendramodiji's #NewIndia !"

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BOOM has previously debunked misinformation tweeted by Renuka Jain.

The same video was also tweeted by Kuldeep Singh Chahal, Delhi BJP General Secretary.

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News 18 also reported on the video tweeted by Javadekar quoting what he has stated. The article does not mention that the video is not recent.

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FACT-CHECK

BOOM found that the viral video tweeted by Prakash Javadekar is from January 2021 and not recent amid the recent coal shortage.

We also saw several users also pointed out to the former Union minister that the video tweeted was eight months old.

In the video tweeted by Javadekar, one can see IRTS association credited as the source for the video. IRTS is the

Taking that hint, we found that IRTS Association had tweeted the same video on January 6, 2021.

The Indian Railway Traffic Service is a Group A civil service and functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Railways. IRTS association tweeted the 2.09 video with the caption, "VASUKI, 4 loaded goods train connected for the first time in Korba, Bilaspur Division. Carrying 16000 tonn of coal equivalent to 500 trucks, it ran from Korba to Bhilai. Commendable job done by the entire Operations team led by Shri Ravish Kumar Singh #IRTS #IRTSMovingIndia"

A 2.19 minutes longer video was tweeted by the Ministry of Railways on January 6, 2021, stating, "Another feather in its cap: After successful running of 'SHESHNAG' now, Bilaspur Division of SECR operated 'SUPER SHESHNAG'- First ever long haul of 4 loaded trains from Korba with total load of 20906 tonnes."

Even the Divisional Railway Manager, Bilaspur Division, South East Central Railway had tweeted on the long haul of four loaded trains from Korba on January 6, 2021.

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