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Normalcy returned at Coal India’s Talcher coalfields in Odisha, on Saturday afternoon, following a “temporary” withdrawal of an indefinite strike.
The strike had cost CIL more than a lakh tonne of production since June 27.
The strike, called by the Hensamul Gram Committee, had the support of the ruling Biju Janata Dal.
The 70-million-tonne-per-annum coalfield fuels power stations in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Coal officials, however, fear that the protestors may revive the strike after the July 6 deadline given to CIL for meeting their demands.
Background The story goes back to the end of the last year, when CIL rolled out a generous compensation offer to Hensamul to ensure production from a large opencast mine.
By 2009, 285 villagers, each owning a minimum of 10 decimal (one one-tenth of an acre) of land, were offered firm jobs in CIL, in addition to cash compensation for agricultural land; and funds for resettlement at an alternative location at a non-coal bearing area.
But in 2013 when the miner finally demanded possession of the land, 122 villagers (now employees of CIL) refused to move. Instead they demanded to be relocated to another coal bearing area, which is due for acquisition.
After several rounds of fruitless discussions; CIL finally fired the 122 from service, on May 6. The company was willing to reinstate them, if they relocate as per contractual obligations.
With the ruling BJD extending support, the villagers called for an indefinite strike on June 26. The State Government did not take action against the agitators for violating the provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) in force at Talcher.
In a meeting on June 28, the agitators suggested two new locations for resettlement, both being coal bearing areas.
“Upon review we found one area as less potent in terms of mining resources. However, the land identified is not transferable as per the rules of the land. If the State government can solve the legal tangle, we can start the proposed resettlement,” an official told Business Line .
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