Locals’ stir paralyses coal mines

ANGUL: Production and dispatch in two coal mines of the district have come to a grinding halt due to protest by locals demanding acquisition of land and jobs. The affected mines are Hingula and Balaram which together produce 55,000 tonne of coal per day. 

While residents of Danara village have stopped operations at Balaram coal mine from Monday, work at Hingula was affected due to stir by Kumunda villagers on Tuesday. 

Sources said residents of Danara village had won a case in Orissa High Court over jobs in the mine. But later, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) challenged the verdict in Supreme Court. Similarly, Kumunda residents want land acquisition process in their village to be expedited. 

Talcher Sub-Collector Paresh Chandra Nayak said he convened a meeting with both MCL officials and the agitating villagers on the day. 

The local MCL officials assured to take steps to meet the villagers' demands. However, the agitating locals  sought assurance from MCL directors to settle the dispute.