NMDC mines hit by Naxal protest

BS reported the strike called by the Naxalites in Dandakaranya zone in protest against the killing of 17 rebels in an encounter near Pamed in Bijapur district recently crippled the transportation of iron ore from country’s largest iron ore producer and exporter, the National Mineral Development Corporation on March 31st 2008.

Sources said even the mining works in the NMDC was affected as workers did not turn up for work fearing violence.

As per report, railway also suffered loss as no trains plied on the Visakhapatnam to Kirandul section today as precautionary measure to deal with the bandh. About two dozens rakes daily ply on this section transporting iron ore from NMDC’s Dantewada facility to Visakhapatnam from where it is shipped to Japan and other countries. This is the second time in a week when transportation of iron ore was disrupted. Earlier, the rebels had called for bandh on March 26th 2008 on the same issue.

Iron ore transportation by road was also crippled as transporters preferred to keep the vehicles off the road.