Talcher: Denizens of Talcher town Thursday called for a city-wide bandh to protest against the mismanagement of mining operations after the floor of a house near the Town Police Station caved in after it developed a large crater Wednesday night.
Hundreds of locals staged road blockades on main roads of the town and picketed at several places demanding the immediate intervention of district administration.
Vehicular movement in the area was disrupted. Several coal-laden trucks remained stranded on both the sides of NH-53.
According to reports, the family of Santilata Bai living near the town police station realised their house trembling yesterday evening and before they could think whether it was an earthquake, a crater developed on the floor of their house. Within a few hours, the hole was deepened into a 4-feet crater.
Locals alleged that the crater was developed because the authorities of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited had not filled the now defunct Champapasi underground coal mines with sand.
Similarly, Hataota, Nabamishra Colony and Handidhuan areas had also witnessed such incidents earlier.
In 2016, the district administration had cautioned the MCL authorities to ensure sand filing of unused underground coal mines after a road caved in near Handidhuan.
Despite repeated complaints, neither district administration officials nor the MCL authorities have addressed their concerns, alleged locals.
PNN