Bhubaneswar: SAIL's Bolani mines are witnessing strong agitation from its workers. On account of this iron ore transportation has also been stopped from the mines.
The workers are demanding for a permanent job in the company. The members of the worker's union, under the leadership of Reyaz Mahammad latif closed down the Railway siding at the mines.
“The company has given written assurance to provide permanent employment to 200 people who have lost their land, within 6 months. But no employment has been given yet” the worker's said.
The Bolani mine spreads over 1,321 ha in Keonjhar district and comes under Joda mines circle. It possesses one of the best quality of iron ores that are primarily used for the Durgapur and Rourkela plant of SAIL. The mine has an estimated iron ore reserve of about 150 MnT.
Bolani mines of Orissa have been under clouds of trouble earlier too. The Orissa government last year has asked SAIL to pause work at the Bolani iron-ore mines until it renews its federal environmental clearance.
“SAIL's approval for operating the mines located in a forest area expired on Feb'11. Once it renews the clearance from the federal Ministry of Environment and Forests, it can resume its operations,” stated Umesh Chandra Jena, Orissa's deputy director of mines.
SAIL then had applied for an extension of the forest clearance and were expecting to resume the mining work soon.
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