Mahanadi Coalfields limited (MCl)’s lakhanpur Open Cast Mines, Project Officer Awadh Kishore Pandey has filed a complaint with the lakhanpur police against members of two families accusing them of obstructing removal of overburden from the mines.
In his complaint, Pandey alleged that members of families of Rajib Disri and Ramakanta Naik accompanied by villagers, including women and children of village Karlajori, forcibly entered Quarry No 5 of mines where heavy earthmoving vehicles and equipments were deployed. later, they stopped operation of the machines and used filthy language threatening the operator of assault.
As a result, the mines operation remained suspended from 9 am to 7 pm reflecting on overburden removal leading to a loss of Rs 4.61 crore.However, the villagers said that despite mining coal in villages like Charla, Ubuda, Khairkuni, Tingishmal besides Karlajori, the MCl has failed to rehabilitate those displaced. They charged the MCl with forcibly carrying out mining using the police to terrorise the villagers.
When contacted, MCl Public Relations Office Dikken Mehra said the company has been repeatedly requesting the two families to allow the company to undertake survey before their compensation package could be worked out. However, they want the company to spell out the package beforehand which is not feasible, he added.
He said the MCl doors are always open and if they cooperate they would get their dues at the earliest.