Date | Jan 08, 2015:

More than 500,000 workers, both regular and contractual in the coal sector, belonging to five major trade unions of the country began a five day coal industry strike on Tuesday primarily to oppose the promulgation of the coal ordinance by the central government.

The All India Trade Union Congress AITUC, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh BMS, the Indian National Trade Union Congress INTUC, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions CITU and the Hind Mazdoor Sangh HMS are participating in the strike.

As per report, all mines of Western Coalfield Limited (WCL) have stopped production of coal. All 36 mines in Maharashtra's Nagpur, Chandrapur and Yavatmal districts are shut. Only emergency services, including water supply and medical facilities are operational. Western Coalfield's daily production of 35,000 to 40,000 tonnes is affected because of the strike.

Production has been badly affected in Central Coalfield Limited (CCL). There are total 58 collieries and production was zero in 39 collieries and partial impact on eight while 11 collieries were functional. The CCL produces around 1.50 lakh tonnes everyday but production has been affected by more than 80 percent due to the strike.

Similarly, in Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), production was also badly hit, with the strike impact more than 70 percent.

Work has been stalled at over 600 coal mines operated in Chhattisgarh and parts of Madhya Pradesh by South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL). At many places, employees and officials were prevented from entering the coal mines. SECL's daily production, which is between four and five lakh tonnes, has been disrupted. The production clocked in at 250,000 tonnes.

Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) mines on an average recorded 78 percent attendance. The mines under ECL’s Mugma and Rajmahal falling in Jharkhand however gave strong response to the strike. The ECL collieries in the Areas like Pandaveswar, Salanpur, Jhanjra, Kenda, Sonepur-Bazari in Raniganj Coalfields mainained normal production and some mines under Sripur and Satgram Areas witnessed mild effect of the strike. The ECL officially claimed that in the first half, the mines all together recorded 23,000 tonnes production and dispatch was at 25,000 tonnes in the first half.

Singareni Collieries Company Limited on Tuesday said coal production may not have much impact due to the strike by some trade unions. According to a senior official of the SCCL, the coal production from the mines will be in the range of 1.5 lakh tonnes per day and despite 50% of the workforce being on strike, the production will not be affected much as most of the mining is done in open cast.

Source – Strategic Research Institute

(Source: http://coal.steelguru.com/)