ANGUL: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday urged people to not halt operations in coal mines for fulfilment of their demands as it negatively impacts the economy of the region, State and the country.
Addressing a public meeting after inaugurating two Central schools here, Pradhan said, “Our demands may be genuine, but we should not shut down coal mines in protest. We can launch agitations in front of the offices of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) and the government to get our demands fulfilled. But stopping operations in mines not only harms the economic interests of the State government but also the Centre as well as the workers of MCL. Besides, supply of coal to the country’s power stations is affected.”
Production in Talcher coalfields is often disrupted due to frequent strikes by locals over various demands. Dispatch of coal from the mines is also paralysed due to the agitations.
The Union Minister said he wants development of Talcher and the entire Angul district irrespective of criticism. A fertiliser plant is being constructed at Talcher at a cost of `13,000 crore. Besides, construction of the new Talcher Thermal Power Station will start soon as the tender process has been completed, he informed.
“Now, Talcher Coalfield is producing 100 million tonne of coal per annum. In next 10 years, the production will reach 2,000 million tonne,” Pradhan said and exhorted people to take advantage of the rapid industrialisation taking place in the district.
The Union Minister further said the MCL has been asked to adopt Talcher ITI and turn the vocational institute into a skill development centre for the benefit of youths from non-coal areas. Pradhan congratulated MCL CMD OP Singh for the company’s feat of dispatching 100 rakes of coal to various power stations.
Among others, Dhenkanal MP Mahesh Sahoo, Talcher MLA Braja Kishore Pradhan, MCL director (personnel) Keshav Rao, GM AK Dhal and former MP Rudra Narayan Pani were present.