By Our Correspondent
BARBIL/JODA/BHUBANESWAR: Kalinga Commercial Corporation – the raising contactor for OMC run Jilling and Langalotta Iron Ore Blocks will face tough time ahead if the company not deployed retrenched workers in the mining work, sources said. AITUC affiliated the Keonjhar Mines and Forest Workers Union has threatened to hold an indefinite dharna at OMC run Mines block if retrenched workers not reinstated.
Jilling and Langalotta mines which were previously owned by Essel Mining and Industries Limited, a Group company of Aditya Birla Group, had stopped the production and about 1,150 workers had been retrenched since the lease got expired in March 31, 2020. After auction, Kolkata’s Shyama Ore had bagged it but it surrendered it citing several technical reasons after which , Union Mines Ministry allotted these blocks in favour of State owned OMC. However, the OMC started production in the two mines a few days back.
In this regard, the union has given a list of the retrenched of workers to both OMC and Kalinga Commercial Corporation – the raising contactor of the mines to reappoint them, but so far no response has been obtained. Union leaders said that while the workers who lost job were under severe strains, the raising contractor was engaging workers from outside and ignoring the local experienced workers.
It may be noted here that the Thriveni Earth Movers Pvt Ltd and Kalinga Mining Corporation has been awarded with Guali and Jilling Langalakota Mines Block by Odisha Mining Corporation . Both the mines have production capacity of 15 lakh tonnes per month and they possess approximate. 275 million tonnes of consolidated iron ore reserves. The two mines will generate approx. Rs. 4000-5000 Crores of annual revenue for Odisha.
Both Thriveni and KMC are already working as mining operators in several mines in the area. Both these blocks were earlier bagged by Shyam Ore and JSPL but they surrendered it after auction citing technical reasons. Previous lease holders before auction for these blocks were RP Sao and Sons and Essel Mining Industries Limited.
