Bhubaneswar: Coal production and transportation at 10 mines of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) was affected due to a 48-hour economic blockade launched by a local group in Talcher Monday.
Due to the economic blockade, imposed by Talcher Surakshya Manch, coal mining and transportation remained suspended at all mines of MCL.
It also posed difficulties in transporting coal to National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), TTPS and Nalco via trains and trucks, said an MCL official.
“The average production of MCL is 210,000-220,000 tonnes daily in Talcher area. However, there was no production and dispatch due to the ongoing strike,” said the official.
Besides blocking trains and trucks, the members of the group were seen staging protest in front of the offices of NTPC and MCL.
The president of the group, Muralidhar Sahu, said the strike was called demanding fulfillment of their demands that include the revival of Talcher fertilizer plant, construction of dedicated coal corridor, implementation of rehabilitation policy and commencement of classes at Talcher Medical College from 2016.
The blockade also affected normal life as schools, colleges, government and private offices and businesses remained closed.