ANGUL: Peeved over delay in receiving land compensation and rehabilitation facility, land outsees of Kansamunda village stopped the supply of coal from MCL’s Kaniha open cast mine to NTPC power plant here since Tuesday morning.
Spearheading the agitation under the banner of Khyatigrasta Praja trust, villagers displaced by the Kaniha open cast mine had staged a dharna in front of the mine and GM office on Monday. Trust secretary Bapuji Pradhan said, the villagers are enraged since they are yet to receive land compensation and a resettlement facility despite handing over their land for the establishment of the mine around 25 years back.
“During that time, the coal authorities had taken the matter to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) but the case is still pending. Though the entire village was acquired for the mine, the residents are yet to receive rehabilitation aid. Talcher sub-collector Biswaranjan Rath had conducted a meeting in this regard in February where the MCL authorities promised to do the needful but to no avail,” informed Pradhan.
Speaking in the issue, Kaniha area general manager KK Roul said the MCL had nothing to do with the compensation amount to be paid to the land oustees since the matter was referred to the NGT years ago.
“We are trying our best to settle the matter at the NGT and pay the compensation amount to the affected villagers. Regarding rehabilitation, MCL is working out a comprehensive plan to shift one village after another affected by the coal mine,” Roul added.
Contacted, sub-collector Biswaranjan Rath said since there was no progress as per the commitments made at the meeting in February, the issue will be further taken up with the district collector and higher MCL authorities. Sources said the dispatch of at least 24,000-tonne coal to NTPC was affected. The mine produces 50,000-tonne coal every day.