A meeting was held at Hemgir panchayat office in Sundargarh on Monday between the State administration and the project-affected villagers of Dulanga coal mining project of NTPC to discuss the approved 5th RPDAC proceeding points and other related issues.
The meeting was chaired by Sub Collector, Sundargarh Birsen Pradhan. The members present were the BDO, Hemgir, the lAO cum Tehsildar-Hemgir, the IIC-Hemgir, Sarpancha-Shanghumda , the Dulanga Coal Mining Project GM and other public and NTPC representatives.
The 5th RPDAC points were discussed and clarified by the Sub Collector.
The villagers raised the concern that all the mining activities be started after the displacements. It was clarified by the NTPC that certain pre mining activities need to be done like coal handling plant, office infrastructure, MGR, internal haul roads etc before actual mining starts which will take a considerable time. This will open employment opportunities for villagers, the villagers were assured.
Regarding employment, it was clarified that, the NTPC is giving cash in lieu of employment and annuity which is better than even OPRR (Odisha R and R policy) and the company is committed to provide best possible training/skill development to the PAPs so as to enable them for employability in the mining area. The NTPC also assured speedy construction of R and R colony.
GM, NTPC, Dulanga CMP Chittaranjan Barik assured the villagers to solve all the future problems with due consultation.