The entire mining town of Koira came to a standstill as the CITU staged a demonstration and ransacked the local Deputy Director Mines office. CITU has demanded the immediate reopening of the closed mines and submitted a memorandum to the administration in this regard. Besides, it has warned that if its demands are not met by 10 February, the ongoing mining activities here will be stopped.
On Tuesday over a thousand CITU supporters and mines workers laid siege to the Deputy Director of Mines office at Koira for over five hours. “Our main demands were reopening of the closed down mines, full payment to the labours of the closed down mines and other issues, payment of all the dues to the workers ever since the mines were closed” said Banamali Dhupal, state vice president of CITU.
The CITU supporters barged into the DDM office and ransacked a part of it. A photo copier cum cum printer, doors, almirahs, chairs and other official belongings were damaged. No person has been injured. When contacted the DDM Koira, Mr Susant Behera said, “four mines have been closed and they have been closed as per the ruling of the Supreme Court and we have nothing to do”.
Dhupal however contended that those who had been penalised by the court and paid the fine should be allowed to start operations , even the ones who have paid part penalty must be allowed. The closure of mines has led to starvation in several families amongst the wage earners, he said.
IIC Koira Arpita Pradhan said, “we have received the information about the damages caused to the DDM office, but will file a formal complaint when we receive it officially from them.”