Hyderabad, Aug. 20: Coal India's decision to allot 10 per cent of its production for e-auction has hit the availability of coal for the thermal stations. Almost all thermal stations in the state are passing through severe shortage and some of them even closed down for few days as there was no coal to operate.

While the Mahanadi Coal Fields (MCF) has diverted nearly 30 million tonnes of coal towards e-auction, state-owned Singereni Collieries has been selling around three lakh tonnes of coal in e-auction, depriving both Rayalaseema and Kothagudem thermal stations.