Lawyers strike hits coal supply to plants

As a result of the agitation at the local railway station, rail movement of coal was affected. At least eight coal rakes could not be dispatched from the station.

The strike also hit coal mining operation at some places and paralysed internal coal transport in the coal field area from early morning to noon. Though, the offices of Mahanadi Coalfield Limited remained open, they could not function due to the strike, the sources said.

 

Normalcy was restored after the noon in coal production, dispatch and internal transport, MCLl authorities said .

The lawyers were demanding the fulfillment of their ten point charter of demands including opening of Coal Bearing Tribunal at Talcher and separate district for Talcher among other things. The lawyers are on strike since April 2.

Meanwhile, the industrial town of Talcher and Angul today wore deserted look as almost all the shops and business establishments were closed due to nationwide strike call given by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

At Angul, Rajyasabha MP, Rudra Narayan Pany led the party to enforce the bandh .The bandh was limited to shop and business establishments only, he added. A similar successful bandh was also observed in Dhenkanal district by the party rank and file, he said.

Reports from Sambalpur said local BJP party activists, besides blocking the office of divisional office of railways, also stopped the entry of employees into MCL headquarters from morning to noon as per their strike call. MCL office could function normally after the noon when the blockade was withdrawn.