Disturbances affect coal supply, overburden removal in MCL

Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) on Saturday said at least 6,000 tonne coal supply and 5,000 cubic meter of overburden removal work were affected due to two incidents of work disturbances recently at its Talcher colliery.

Overburden removal at Ananta opencast project (OCP) was affected on Thursday night after a man of Burdabanpur village unauthorisedly entered the mine premises and damaged equipment to stop dewatering operations from the sump to the external mine area, a company official said.

The same person was also involved in stone-pelting on vehicles at the mine on Friday morning and kidnapping of two employees of MCL.

The project officer of Ananta OCP lodged a complaint with the police in this regard and safe release of the abducted employees could be secured on Friday afternoon, MCL Spokesperson said.

The mining operations the Ananta OCP were normalised at 2:45 PM after the sub-collector and the SDPO, Talcher, intervened.

Besides affecting the OB Removal to the tune of 5000 cubic metre, stoppage of dewatering operations affected coal production at Ananta OCP.

Earlier, some people obstructed coal transportation from 11 AM to 1 PM at Biswal Chhak near Dera village in Talcher on Thursday, due to which the supply of about 6000 tonne coal from Bhubaneswari OCP was affected. Estimated loss due to this was Rs 2.4 crore, he added.