ANGUL: Workers of a private firm operating in Kaniha and Lingaraj mines of Talcher Coalfield stopped coal production on Wednesday even as operations in Balaram Open Cast Project (OCP) remained paralysed for the seventh consecutive day due to the standoff between villagers of Danara and Soloda over loading of trucks.
Production of at least 16,800 tonne of coal at Lingaraj OCP and around 18,000 at Kaniha mine was affected on the day due to disruption by the private firm’s workers who are demanding better service conditions.
On Tuesday evening, villagers of Bhalugadia near Hingula OCP stopped mining operations protesting the alleged abusive remarks by some trade union activists. The operations resumed after the first shift on Wednesday following a meeting between villagers and the local project management.
Sources said around 7,000 cubic meter of overburden (OB) removal and production of more than 4,000 tonne of coal was affected by the stoppage in Hingula mine.
Meanwhile, stalling of operations at Balaram mine of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) has hit despatch of around 10,000 tonne of coal to consumers including NALCO, JITPL, JSPL, BSL and GMR.
Due to the disruption, Balaram OCP is sustaining a production loss of 10,000 tonne of coal per day. Besides, OB removal of around 30,000 tonne is getting affected daily. So far, supply of 1.10 lakh tonne of coal and over 1.9 lakh of OB removal has been affected at the mine due to the impasse.
This apart, the mine has sustained a production loss of 40,000 tonne of coal since the operations were brought to a grinding halt by the warring villagers on October 6.
Coal despatch at Balaram OCP was forcibly stopped by villagers on October 6 and subsequently, OB removal was stalled at Mahalakshmi patch on October 10. Coal production at the mine was stopped after the first shift on October 12.