Locals protest NTPC's conveyor belt plan citing livelihood crisis
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Chatra: The National Thermal Power Corporation's (NTPC) 21-km long conveyor belt between Barkagaon and Banadag coal sidings, which will transport 96,000 metric tonnes of coal daily once fully operational next year, has come as a cause for discontent among the local population.
The conveyor belt, which was formally launched last month, is transporting 28,000 metric tonnes of coal daily while 3 million metric tons are being transported via road. The locals, whose livelihoods depend on transporting coal through trucks, are staring at a bleak future once the belt becomes fully operational. Ever since the belt's launch, the ferries made by the trucks have been seen a dip.
Locals said more than 5,000 people in Kusumbha panchayat under Katkamdag block are dependent on coal transportation from the NTPC's mines for their livings.
Most of them purchased trucks by securing loans from banks and worried about repayments.
"The belt is creating noise pollution by operating round the clock. Many of us purchased Hyva for employment from the compensation received from the land acquired by NTPC," Basant Yadav, the president of Hyva Owners' Association, said. Over the last two days, locals and transporters have staged protests demanding that the NTPC keeps up in coal supply in trucks.
Maintaining that the conveyor belt had made coal transport much more efficient and cost effective, NTPC officials said 3 million tonnes of coal will be transported through it from April 1 next year. Dileep Thakur, public relations officer of NTPC, said the belt system loads 59 wagons within 60 minutes and maintains environmental sensitivity through elevated design. "The elevated conveyor system preserves local flora and fauna, allowing wildlife movement while maintaining operational efficiency," he said.
Hazaribag MP Manish Jaiswal said he recently discussed the issue with Union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav. "Highlighting NTPC's decision to eliminate road transport by 2026-27 FY, I advocated for maintaining 50% of the total coal transport through road so that there is no livelihood crisis in the area," he said.
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