Bhubaneswar: Iron ore
transport at the Suakati Gandhamardan mines of the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC)
has been stopped following a conflict between the mines management and the
local residents. The District administration has taken this decision after a
high level meeting held on Monday.
The locals are at
loggerheads with the mines authorities for fulfillment of their demands like
priority in employment and iron ore transportation. The local people have
alleged that OMC had assured them to give local youths employment and give the
local transporters priority in iron ore transportation during the public
hearing held for the expansion of the mine. But the conflict triggered after
OMC invited open bid for transportation of iron ore. Even thousands of workers
engaged in loading and unloading have given their support to the local people.
The Gadhamardan mine is very
crucial for OMC's 2019-20 expansion plan, under which the miner has set a
target to increase iron ore production level to 20-25 million tonnes per annum . The Gandhamardan mines has statutory limit for
production upto 9 MnTPA, but OMC have not reached the production level of 3.5
MnTPA. Now the company is looking to increase the production level in 4 to 5
years. The miner has engaged MECON as its consultant for this.
Reported by Tapan Moharana
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