B reported that the rake loading of iron ore in Nayagarh and Keonjhar areas in Orissa has remained suspended for the past few days due to the closure of a large number mines on the Orissa Government’s order.

According to a spokesman for East Coast Railway, “Our daily average loading of iron ore rakes has dropped from four to less than one in Nayagarh and Keonjhar areas. In the past few days, there was virtually no loading at Nayagarh and negligible loading at Keonjhar.”

It is learnt that there are no pending requisitions for rakes for various railway sidings at Nayagarh, Keonjhar, Jakhapura and Nirgundi areas served by ECoR.

Earlier as many as 128 mines have been ordered to suspend work as they have not fulfilled various statutory requirements such as obtaining mining licence, environment clearance and so on.

At Nayagarh area, the suspension work has been due to labour trouble. However not all these mines are iron ore mines. Some are manganese ore mines and there are other mines also.

Interestingly, the South Eastern Railway, which also loads iron ore at various sidings located at Jaruli, Banspani, Barsua, Barajamda and other areas in Orissa, has not been as much hit.

(Sourced from Business Line)