ANGUL: Villagers of Jarada on Monday paralysed the operation of NTPC-linked Kaniha open cast coal mine for an indefinite period demanding fulfilment of their eight-point charter of demands.
In the morning, villagers stormed the mine and staged dharna alleging delay in resolution of their rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) claims. As a result, production and despatch of coal came to a halt in the mine.
The agitators said though Jarada was acquired by Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) 17 years back, they are still residing in the village due to lack of a proper site for their resettlement. Both the state government and MCL have failed to provide a suitable site to shift the villagers after acquisition of their land, they claimed.
An agitator Sarat Chandra Behera said besides the resettlement issue, around 200 land oustees of the village are yet to get employment. Many villagers are still waiting for compensation for their land acquired by MCL, he alleged.
Complaining of irregular water supply, the villagers also alleged that many houses in Jarada have been damaged due to blasts in the mine.
Admitting that mine operation has been badly hit by the strike, general manager of Kaniha Area Naresh Singh said resettlement is the main issue of villagers and the company is looking into it.
On the day, a meeting convened by the Talcher sub-collector to resolve the issue failed to yield any result as the agitating villagers refused to call off the strike. Massive police deployment has been made to maintain law and order at the protest site.
Kaniha mine produces around 40,000 tonne of coal per day. It supplies coal to the nearby NTPC and Jindal India thermal power plants among others.