Orissa govt blames MCL for law and order situation

Bhubaneswar, June 8 (UNI) The Orissa government today squarely held the public sector Mahanadi Coal Field Limited (MCL) responsible for law and order situation in its various open cast mines.

State Revenue Minister Manmohan Samal accused the MCL of starting a political controversy by stating that the agitation by the oustees would lead to serious coal crisis in various plants in Orissa and other states.

Mr Samal said the non acquisition of left out patches, inordinate delay in land acquisition, payment of compensation, delay in the rehabilitation and resettlement of the displaced people and anomalies in the payment of compensation by the MCL had triggered large scale discontentment among the people.

The MCL, he said, had not implemented many decisions it promised including job to the people displaced by various coal mine projects and warned that the government would not hesitate to initiate action against the company if it continued to do so.

The minister was replying to the admissibility of an adjournment motion brought by the Opposition and calling attention by the treasury bench members on ''Talcher coalfield faces closure due to agitation by the locals.'' The house debated the issue with much seriousness and members cutting across party lines, came down heavily on the MCL for showing no concern to the affected people and ignoring even the directives of the state government to settle the long standing problems of the oustees.

BJP member Mahesh Chandra Sahu and BJD member Rajani Kanta Singh demanded that the MCL Managing Director should be arrested for creating law and order situation in the area while ignoring the genuine demands of the oustees.

MORE UNI