The Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) incurred a loss of about Rs 2.5 crore till Tuesday evening due to stoppage of coal supply to power plants from the Ananta Railway Sidings No. 5 & 6 by the villagers of Kandhaberni at the Talcher Coalfields in Angul district. The movement of coal rakes was forcibly stopped by residents of Kandhaberni who demanded a supervisor’s job for one Babuli Sahoo in a private firm engaged by MCL mining operations.
Coal supply operations from the Ananta Sidings were totally paralysed since afternoon. The MCL immediately lodged a police complaint seeking assistance to resume coal supply.
Sporadic incidents of illegal stoppage by villagers in Talcher coalfields have adversely affected coal production.
Being the top contributor to the Odisha exchequer, the MCL’s contribution to the District Mineral Funds (DMFs) in Angul, Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts was over Rs 600 crore during fiscal 2018-19.
