At least 60,000 tonnes of coal could not be supplied to various consumers due to continuous stoppage of coal dispatch from Balram Open Cast Project under Hingula Area in Talcher coalfields of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) as the residents of nearby Danara village held a dharana. The villagers have been continuing the stir since October 6. Major consumers affected due to the agitation include Nalco, JITPL, JSPL, BSL, SPCL and GMR, etc.
Meanwhile, Danara villagers on Thursday stopped over burden (OB) removal at Mahalakshmi outsourcing patch of Balram OCP. Some villagers of Danara headed by one Debaraj Biswal unauthorisedly entered into the Mahalakshmi Camp premises of outsourcing patch and stopped OB removal operations.
Due to the obstruction approximately 30,000 to 35000 CuM of over burden removal was hampered per day, resulting in 20,000 tonnes less coal exposure per day. Further, coal dispatch of around 15,000 tonne is also affected due to which company was losing out Rs 1.47 crore of revenue directly whereas the Government exchequer was losing out Rs 20.58 lakh per day.
Similarly, the residents of Ubuda village on Friday stopped mining operations at Quarry No. 6 of Lakhanpur OCP under Lakhanpur Area of Ib Valley Coalfields in Jharsuguda district, demanding employment.
The Quarry No. 6 is on Government land for which all dues have been disbursed to the concerned authorities. The villagers of Ubuda, who have been provided due compensation and employment as per R&R Policy of the Odisha Government long back, demanded subsequent employment for their children who were minor on cutoff date as well as for the landless people residing there.
Earlier on Thursday, mining operations at Quarry No. 1 had been stopped by villagers of Khairkuni.
Due to the agitation, daily coal production of Lakhanpur OCP, which is targeted to produce around 65,000 tonnes, has been reduced to 26,000 tonnes a day.
The OPGC is one of the major consumers of coal from Lakhanpur OCP.