Coal supply from MCL's Jagannath Area down 50% due to protest

Coal supply to different power plants from Mahanadi Coalfields' (MCL) Jagannath area in Talcher belt was today affected due to road blockade by local villagers.
The coal supply has been reduced by 50 per cent due to the blockade, a release issued by MCL said.
Local villagers are demanding drinking water, health, plantation and other basic facilities in the project affected areas, said Dilip Kumar Sahu, the head of Dera village, one of the affected villages in MCL's Jagannath coalfield area.
MCL's Jagannath Area comprises three projects -- Bhubaneswari OCP (Open Cast Project), Ananta OCP and Jagannath Colliery -- which together contribute 35 per cent of the total coal production of the company.

The MCL had produced over 121 million tonnes (MT) coal during the last financial year, it said.
Despatch of coal from 25 MT Bhubneswari OCP and 10 MT Ananta OCP has been severely affected after residents of Dera village blocked road and stopped transportation on April 7 evening, it added.