Odisha coalfield mishap: MCL announces compensation, job for deceased’s kin

Bhubaneswar: Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) today announced a compensation of Rs 30 lakh each for the families of the persons who had died in a mishap at Bharatpur opencast coal mines in Talcher coalfields.

The MCL authorities also assured a contractual job for one member of each family. The job will be regularised in one month, sources said.

A strata collapse at the Bharatpur mines on July 23 had claimed lives of four persons. As many as nine persons were injured in the mishap.

In a related development, locals, who were on a strike since July 24 demanding a safety inspection of entire Talcher coalfields along with a high-level probe into the incident and adequate compensation to the families of the deceased, withdrew the stir after a tripartite meeting with Angul district Collector and MCL authorities today.

The strike had resulted in closing of units of the power plants which were dependent on Talcher coalfields for the supply of fuel.