Bhubaneswar
Mineral
transportation from Orissa Mining Corporation's Gandhamardan iron ore mines at
Suakati in Keonjhar's Banspal block was stopped on Friday following protests
from villagers affected by the mines. The tribals from Suakati, Kumundi and
Talakainsari gram panchayats demanded that they should be employed for loading
and unloading of minerals from trucks instead of the job being done with the
help of machines.
Two platoon of police force are deployed in the
area and mineral transportation stopped for the time being. The transportation
was also stopped three months back following a disturbance in the mines and the
work was distributed through tender.
The mine was opened in October last year
after a long closure for a period of one year for violation of forest laws.
In September 2011, Forest and Environment Department issued a showcause
to Odisha Mining Corporation over violation of forest laws and the mine was
closed.
The Gandhamardan mines is crucial for OMC as
the state owned miner has plans to increase its production upto 8-9 million
tonnes per annum in the next 4-5 years. Though the mines has statutory limit for production up to 9
million tonnes per annum, but OMC never have reached production level of 3.5
mtpa.
By-Tapan Moharana
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