SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Sept 27: The Bharat Bandh call in protest of the three contentious farm laws has evoked very little response in the coal belt. No impact has been reported in the first shift of the protest at Dhanbad-based collieries of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), Eastern Coalfield Limited (ECL) and SAIL Chasnala on Monday.
All non-BJP political parties and national trade unions including unions of bank employees, LIC, Jharkhand Bijli Kamgar Union (JBKU) and others have supported the Bandh. But no impact has been seen in the first shift. Supporters were also not found to enforce Bandh at any place in the morning.
Big and small transport on the interstate GT road ( NH-2) as well as in township are moving like any other day. Shops in posh markets of the district, Bank More, Steel Gate and City Centre also opened in the morning as usual. Schools were opened and students were seen going by buses/ vans in the morning. Bandh supporters have exempted essential services from the strike.
Director personnel (DP) of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) PVKR Rao told media that 100% attendance of miners were registered in the colliery in first shift (starting at 6 am) and in general shift (starting at 8 am). Mining and dispatching of coal are being done smoothly.
“ Company management has not received any notice of strike in the coal sector. However, for the safety of miners and colliery property, police force and CISF have been deployed in different colliery areas,” said Rao.
However, Rashtriya Colliery Mazdoor Sangh’s (RCMS) General Secretary AK Jha informed that the dispatch of coal through the road has been affected following the Bandh call. “We have only called for stopping coal dispatching and not mining. So, dispatch of coal is affected,” Jha said.
