Bhubaneswar:
The Odisha government owned miner Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) has been struggling to normalize its chrome ore production at its South Kaliapani Chrome mines at Sukinda in Jajpur district, for the last couple of months due to strike called by the workers union.
Demanding better pay package and regularization of jobs, the workers are agitating since August 5th of this year, due to which chrome ore production has been severely impacted. All the contractual 658 workers are demanding regular job at the mines or daily wage of Rs 550. But from 1st October they have completely stopped the mining and also have closed the local OMC office. However, after the intervention of the local authorities and police, it is learnt that, they have agreed to have a dialogue with OMC CMD Saswat Mishra today( 5th Oct).
Compared to other chrome mines of OMC like Sukrangi and Bangur, the South Kaliapani mines is the largest Chrome mine with estimated reserve of 119 lakh tonnes. Due to lower production OMC has auctioned limited amount (only 67 thousand tonnes was auctioned in September compared to nearly 1 lac tonnes in other months) Chrome ore on 11th of last month.
OMC's target of 6,20,000 tonnes of total chrome ore production in financial year 2013-2014 seems to be lagging behind as till June end 2013 it has achieved only 10% (60,347 tonnes) of the target.
-Tapan Moharana
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