This novel is mainly regarding a public sector undertaking ( imaginary PSU ) named as VidarbhaCoalfields Ltd. Short-form V.C.L. .The head quarter of this co. is at Amarvati ,Maharashtra .The coal mines are spread over three districts of Maharashtra namely Amaravati ,Yeotmal ,Wardha and in Khandawa district of Madhyapradesh .These mines are grouped in eight Areas and each area has General Manager . Each General manager is looking after three to five mines .
At headquarter ,there is a office of Managing Director . There are four directors also .Mr. Muralidhar Kumar Jha is General Manager ( Administration ) at HQ .He belongs to Darbhanga ,Bihar ,but he had schooling in Tamilnadu . His father was with another coal co. Nyvelly Lignite in Tamilnadu . Madhavi is Muralidhar,s wife and she is a patient of cancer ( uterus and ovary ) and her treatment of chemotherapy is nearing completion .Mr.Muralidhar is in habit of saying ,Beg Your Pardon ,,
Government Investigation Agency ( GIA ) raids the office and residential premises of three project officers of opencast mines , in search of black money . The names of these mines are Mukutban , Aarni and Nehagaon .
Mr. Lunavat is project officer of Mukutban , located at 300 kms from Amaravati . His mother could not bear the shock of police action and realization of her son being corrupt . Within eight days of raid , she commits suicide . This is a shock for all.
Shri.RamakantDighe is project officer of Aarni project , which is 200 kms away from Amaravati . After the death of his wife , he had married his sister-in-law . He has one daughter from first wife , who is studying law at London ,UK . MrDighe is infamous for his character of being womanizer .
Mr. Galhotra is project officer of Nehgaon , which is just 35 kms away from Amaravati . His financial dealings are seen by his wife . For purchase of spares and electrical materials etc. there is one local purchase committee .The committee visits Amaravati regularly for purchases . Mrs. Galhotra also goes with committee and personally collects half share ,that is five percent commission . Nehgaon is the biggest mine of VCL ,producing the highest tones of coal. The special feature of this project is Dragline machine .This machine has a revolving boom of 100 meters long and the bucket which removes earth above coal or overburden is of 16 cubic meters size .The weight of machine is 2000 tonnes and todays cost is rupees one hundred and fifty crowers .