Chhattisgarh iron ore mines security rose after Maoist strike
Friday, 30 Oct 2009
Sify quoted a senior official as saying that security has been strengthened and patrolling intensified at National Mineral Development Corporation's iron ore mines in Chhattisgarh a day after Maoists killed 4 security personnel guarding the facilities.
Mr SP Himanshu NMDC assistant GM in Dantewada said that the Central Industrial Security Forces has strengthened security across NMDC's iron ore deposits at Bailadila hills in Chhattisgarh Dantewada district to counter any further attacks by Maoists. He said that mining activities remained unaffected despite Maoists' attack Sunday. The iron ore excavation has not been hit by Sunday's unfortunate incident. Mining work is on as usual.
An explosion Sunday evening killed four CISF troopers and injured 2 of their colleagues when the vehicle they were traveling in ran over a landmine planted by the Maoists just outside NMDC iron ore deposit number 10 in Dantewada's Bacheli pockets.
Mr Himanshu said that “Blast and violence definitely creates a scare, but here everybody is used to live in such an atmosphere.”
Armed Maoists had in February 2006 stormed into NMDC complex in Dantewada district killing 8 CISF men and looting some 20 tonnes of explosives that were kept stored by the company to blast rocks for mining purposes. India's largest iron ore producer and exporter in public sector, NMDC has major mining facility in Dantewada Bailadila hills that contributes nearly 80 percent of the firm's annual output.
