Private Firm Workers’ Protest Hits Output in 2 Talcher Coal Mines

Bhubaneswar: Workers of a private firm engaged in two mines of Talcher Coalfield in Odisha have halted coal production while operations in another open cast project (OCP) of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) remained paralysed for the eighth day on Thursday.

Coal production of at least 16,800 tonne at Lingaraj OCP and about 18,000 tonne at Kaniha OCP was affected due to the disruption by workers of the private firm since Wednesday demanding better service conditions.

Meanwhile, stoppage of mining operations at Balram OCP by villagers of Danara continued for the eighth day, MCL spokesperson said.

Though the villagers did not have any major demand, tussle between two groups seeking greater share in transport-related work led to obstruction in various operations, including production and despatch, sources claimed.

They stalled overburden removal at Mahalakshmi patch on October 10 and coal production from the mine was stopped from the second shift on October 12, he said.

Overburden removal of about 30,000 tonne of coal a day, 10,000 tonne of coal production and equal quantity of coal despatch to consumers, including NALCO, JITPL, JSPL, BSL and GMR, have been affected due to the disruption at Balram OCP, the source said.

Till now, 1,20,000 tonne coal supply, around 50,000 tonne coal production and more than 2.2 lakh tonne of overburden removal have been affected from Balram OCP, the spokesperson said.

In another development, villagers of Bhalugadia near Hingula OCP mine had stopped mining operations on Tuesday evening protesting alleged abusive remarks by some trade union activist.

However, mining operations resumed from the second shift on Wednesday after a meeting between villagers and the local project management, he said.

Around 7,000 cubic meter overburden removal and more than 4,000 tonne coal production were affected by the stoppage of work at Hingula mine, he added.