Operations stop in 6 mines of Mahanadi Coalfields: Sources

BHUBANESWAR: Operations in six mines of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd, a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd (CIL), have been halted in Odisha due to lack of forest clearances, official sources said here today.

Mining operations were closed in MCL's Lajkuara open-cast project comprising six mines at Brajrajnagar in Jharsuguda district yesterday for failure to obtain renewed forest clearances, they said.

"The six coal mines under MCL were halted as they do not have forest clearances. Operations at these sites will remain shut until they get approval," Odisha's Director of Mines Deepak Kumar Mohanty told PTI.

A closure notice was issued by the deputy director of Mines (Sambalpur) for halt of mining operations, he said.

Earlier the mines in MCL's Ib Valley area had been asked to stop operations they were given a temporary reprieve by the court, a senior official said adding as the concession period has expired, the company was asked to shut operations.

Confirming halt of operations in six mines, a senior MCL official said the company has already applied for forest clearance and the process would be expedited in order to ensure resumption of operations at the mines.