In violence-hit Dantewada district two units of National Mineral Development Corporation ltd (NMDC ltd), is excavating iron ore at sprawling Bailadila hills which is made up of Bacheli and Kirandul areas.
During the last seven years Maoist insurgents are perpetrating havoc at both Bacheli and Kirandul plants. During these years, in Bacheli-Kirandul plants of the NMDC ltd, the insurgents have executed a number of major attacks subversive acts like Hiroli magazines loot.
Burning conveyor belts or damaging heavy machinery engaged in excavation have become a periodic phenomena as also the rebels have targeted Kirandul-Jagdalpur rail line a number of times. Due to these hurdles, NMDC has suffered indirect losses worth billions during this period.
Notably, NMDC ltd, is leader in the area of iron ore excavation in the country. A unit of the Government of India, NMDC ltd, has been accorded the status of ‘Navratna’. Projects of NMDC ltd at Bailadila are setting newer production benchmarks in the area of iron ore production besides contributing yearly bonus worth billions to the central exchequer. Despite all these, lack of security in the world standard iron ore mines of the Corporation is a big problem.
Though responsibility of providing security at Bacheli and Kirandul mines is on 1300 Jawans of Central Industrial Security Forces, but they have so far abysmally failed on this front. Specially after the loss of over a dozen Jawans in Maoist attacks, CISF has virtually refused to provide security to these projects of NMDC.
Now, the security agency is not deputing its Jawans at the mines of the project, in plant area as well as in downhill region even if the NMDC provided modern weapons, security equipment, bullet proof jackets, anti landmine vehicles, bullet proof post and watch towers to it. Annually NMDC spends Rs 40 to 50 crore on security arrangements but even after that the Maoist insurgents strike the plant premises at their will.
On the other side, CISF officials refuse to comment on the issue of slack security arrangements. They hesitate in providing any information regarding security saying headquarters did not permit them saying anything.
On the other hand, due to lack of security, around 2,500 workers employed at both the projects are forced to perform their duty in a State of terror specially in a condition that they have to travel 20 km to reach the mines.