TALCHER : The Balaram coal mine here has been shut down for the last four days due to dispute between residents of two villages over loading of trucks.While several meetings convened by Sub-Collector Paresh Nayak to break the deadlock have failed to yield any result, police on Saturday had also arrested some truckers of Danara village for preventing operations in the mine.The truckers of Danara are opposing mining operations demanding coal loading in their vehicles. Earlier, the truckers faced no difficulties in loading coal as the mine was located near Danara. However, after the mine was shifted to nearby Soloda, a dispute broke out between the two villages.
The contention between the two villages over loading of coal from the location at Soloda has led to closure of Balaram mines for the last four days, said SDPO HK panda.Colliery sources said the mine produces around 10,000 tonne of coal per day. While coal consumers are at the receiving end of the shutdown, MCL and the State Government are also losing revenue due to the mine bandh.Sub-Collector Nayak said, “We have already convened two-three meetings between the agitating villagers and MCL officials. The villagers are yet to cooperate with the officials in resuming operations in the mine.”