Coal India resumes work in mines shut by protesters

Locals had protested CIL's plan to relocate them for mine expansion

Mahanadi Coalfields, a unit of Coal India Ltd, said on Monday it has resumed operations at three of its mines in Odisha state that were shut on Friday as locals protested its plan to relocate them to make way for planned mine expansion.

The mines, which produce 100,000 tonne of coal per day and contribute to a third of Mahanadi's total output, resumed operations after police acted against the demonstrators, spokesman Dikken Mehra told Reuters.

Mahanadi had forecast a 15% rise in production to 127 million tonne for this fiscal year ending March 31 2015.