By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/TALCHER: Fearing possible strike by the employees of Mahanadi Coal Fields Limited, a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd under the Union Coal Ministry, the Naveen Patnaik Government in Odisha, which is battling very hard to contain the outbreak of COVID-19, has extended the Odisha Essential Services (Maintenance) Act-1988 (ESMA) prohibiting strikes in Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) Talcher area in State’s coal bearing Angul district.
The Patnaik Government had on May 15 imposed ESMA Act-1988 and it has been extended till next 6 months from May 16, sources said on Saturday. Home Department issued a notification in this regard, sources added. ESMA is clamped to prevent agitation, blockades, and strikes by the workers and transportation in the Talcher Coalfield Areas.
While keeping the ground realities in mind, State Government has decided to enhance the ESMA period for another six months with effect from May 16 . ESMA is clamped in public interest as it is necessary to prohibit strikes in these areas as it is connected with production of coal and its transportation and dispatch to companies like, NALCO, NTPC, TTPS and other Power plants. ESMA prohibits strikes in services connected with generation and supply of power in all establishments of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Kaniha Power Station and Talcher Thermal Power Station.
Meanwhile, earlier, a JCB machine deployed to filling of a fly ash pond at NTPC Ltd Kaniha in Talcher in Odisha’s Angul, was crushed to death a 35-year-old contractual worker, police said on Saturday. The incident took place late night and came to public after parts of dead body found nearby.
The deceased has been identified as Rulu Sahu, a resident of Kakudia village under Kaniha police limits in Angul district. As per sources, Sahu was working as a supervisor for filling of the fly ash pond.After the news surfaced, irate villagers led by Pallahara MLA Mukesh Pal went to the spot and staged a demonstration demanding compensation for family members of the deceased. Kaniha police station IIC Prabhat Kumar Tripathy and Tehsildar Patitapabana Debeta reached the spot to pacify the irate locals till last reports came in. NTPC authorities were also present at the spot.
