Production and transportation of all 19 opencast and underground coal mines of the MCL were stopped due to strike of various trade unions protesting against the Government’s decision to allow commercial mining.

The trade unions also opposed  separation of the State-run firm's exploration, planning and design arm CMPDIL from the company.

The Central trade unions operating in Coal India are HMS, BMS, AITUC, INTUC and CITU. Except CITU, all other trade unions are operating in MCL of Odisha.

On an average, Coal India produces 1.3 MT of coal every day; so it is estimated that the production loss due to the three-days' strike would be around 4 MT.

"In the first day of the strike, there is only 16 to 20% attendance in MCL," told MCL PRO D Mehera.

Union leaders Soubhagya Pradhan (INTUC), Arun Pradhan and Sanjay Majhi (BMS), Sankar Behera (HMS) and Surendra  Sharma (AITUC)  told that production and transportation of coal from all the 19 coal mines of MCL in Odisha was disrupted due to the strike.

Odisha Colliary Majdoor Sangha general secretary Soubhagya Pradhan  said if commercial mining was started by private companies, they would exploit the workers by paying less wages and the workers had to work in sub standard working conditions.

Moreover , functioning of PSU like MCL will be disrupted at Talcher as out of total nine coal blocks scheduled to be auctioned in Odisha, eight are from Talcher, he told.

Supporting  the three-day nationwide strike by the trade unions against  Narendra Modi Government ’s decision to open up the coal sector to private players,  Congress leader Sasmita Behera told that aound 2.72 lakh workers of various trade unions including Congress-affiliated Indian National Trade Union Congress participated in the strike .

"Allowing commercial mining is a stepping stone to bringing other major changes in the public sector. Not only will this make changes to the ownership but it will also impact workers' service conditions which is not acceptable to us.

At a time when the entire country is reeling under the coronavirus pandemic, the Government should not  bring about such changes. This has impacted the entire power industry and electricity generation. The Government must stop all steps towards weakening or privatisation of Government-run coal mining company," told Behera.