Barring Kumaraswamy Mines in Karnataka, production of iron ore by NMDC came to a standstill as the state-owned company halted production at Bailadilla Range in Dantewada in Chhattisgarh also due to protest by tribals.
The miner is losing 70,000 tonnes of iron ore production from Chhattisgarh and already losing 0.5 million tonnes per month from Donimalai mines in Karnataka since November last year, official sources said.
Earlier, NMDC suspended iron ore-mining from its Donimalai mine following the state government’s decision to impose 80% premium on the ore sales from that mine in November 2018. Lately, the miner suspended production at Bailadilla Complex consisting of Bacheli and Kirandul mining blocks in Chhattisgarh following the agitation by tribal groups against the iron ore mining on hills in the Deposit No.13, official sources said.
“There is a production loss of about 70,000 tonnes of iron ore per day due to tribal unrest at Bailadilla Range in Dantewada in Chhattisgarh. The mining was suspended in Bacheli mines since June 11 while it was stopped at Kirandul mines from June 7,” the sources told PTI. Thousands of tribals, under the banner of Sanyukt Panchayat Samiti, resorted to protest against iron ore mining on hills in deposit no. 13 since June 7.
