Protestors halt WCL's Kolgaon mine work

This has resulted in water logging in the open cast mine and WCL fears that it could mean trouble during monsoon.

Around 34 villagers in the region are demanding employment in Kolgaon mine in lieu of their land, which is to be acquired by WCL for expansion of the mine.

Their demand has been supported by local MLAs "� Vamanrao Chatap of Rajura and Vishwas Nandekar of Wani "� besides other villagers, which has put the coal company in a fix.

The company has also written to the Yavatmal collector seeking intervention. It has stated that it should not be held responsible if fields are flooded during monsoon and would not be liable to paying any compensation to villagers. S A Yusuf, director (personnel), WCL, confirmed that nothing has materialised so far.

The coal company has also pointed out that water would have been properly diverted had the mine been operational. Two more outlets have to be created to evacuate extra water accumulating in the mine since February.

However, villagers are not allowing company officials to enter the mine, which, WCL officials say, comes in the "high flood level" of Painganga river.

"We need to build a nullah (culvert), otherwise, it is a disaster waiting to happen," a senior officer said. The coal company has also written to the state government and met other senior functionaries in the administration, but in vain.

WCL has also agreed to the demand of the villagers of giving them employment. It has lined up jobs in other underground mines, as the "Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy" of the coal company does not justify taking land outsees in open cast mines such as Kolgaon.

They can be given jobs in underground mines where relatively less skilled workers are deployed, explained a company official. The villagers are not buying the deal.

A meeting has also been held with the Maharashtra Environment Minister Ganesh Naik, but the issue remains unresolved. "The minister has asked us for relaxation in the rehab policy, but this is not possible as the policy has been drafted by Coal India Ltd (CIL)," said Yusuf.

Around 46 hectares of 291.9 hectare land acquired by WCL belongs to the protesting villagers. Compensation rates have already been declared, but physical possession is pending.

The compensation amount being offered by WCL has also been protested as being too less. The coal company claimed that there has already been a production loss of over Rs 8 crore, and the state is losing around Rs 85,000 everyday. The mine has capacity to produce 1,000 tonne of coal a day.