RAJ KUMAR SHARMA n JHARSUGUDA
With coal production decreasing in the Ib Valley and lakhanpur Area of the MCl in Jharsuguda district, transportation of coal on both railways and roads has been badly hit affecting thousands of families who depend on it for living.
Now, only 200 trucks are transporting coal against usual 900 trucks in lakhanpur. Similarly in Ib Valley, 300 trucks are engaged against 800 on a daily basis. Sources confirmed that power projects have also been hit due to lack of coal production.
Even as the Union Coal Ministry has emphasised on resolving coal scarcity, many thermal power projects have now faced a closure like situation, sources added.
While around 60 per cent coal transport is done through railway and 40 per cent through road. An annual analysis revealed that coal production has decreased in the Ib Valley coalfields drastically.
During the 2016-17 fiscal, each month recorded a declining figure in the coal transportation. While 14 lakh tonne coal transported through railways and 9 lakh tonne through roadways, a total of 2.8 lakh tonne coal were transported via both the means in July 2017. As trucks are getting idle, truck owners, drivers and helpers, labouers and their families are leading miserable life now.
While Belpahar open cast mine has completely stopped producing coal, very low quantity is being lifted from the lakhanpur open cast mine. Similar situation is seen in Samaleswari and lajkura open cast mines under the Ib Valley. If the situation is not improved, hundreds of families would be severely affected.
When contacted, MCl lakhanpur General Manager MG Brahmapurkar informed that there is a dispute between the industries and coal transporters over freight charges and, therefore, coal lifting from the mines is stalled for the time. He said coal production hasn't been reduced.Meanwhile, a senior MCl officer said coal production at Charla in lakhanpur's BOCM has been completely stopped as locals have refused to vacate villages. The production in the Ib Valley’s SOCM has reduced as a surface miner has gone defunct, he said.