Bhubaneswar, Oct 24 (IANS): Coal production at the Balram opencast project of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) remained affected for the 14th consecutive day in Odisha on Thursday.

Since the last two weeks, there was no production of coal due to a stalemate between Danara and Solada villages at the Talcher coalfields in Angul district, said a MCL statement.

Till now, 2.2 lakh tonne coal supply, around 1.8 lakh tonne of coal production and more than 4 lakh cubic meter of overburden removal have been affected from the Balram opencast project (OCP) due to an internal rift between the two villages, the statement said.

A series of initiatives taken by the civil administration and the MCL management have failed to bridge the differences between the villagers, who have forcibly stopped mining operations at Balram OCP.

While production from other coal mines has started picking up after the rainy season, the Balram OCP, having a target of six million tonne coal production for 2019-20, remained paralysed due to the villagers' differences, it said.

The company hoped that an amicable solution to the impasse is reached so that further losses to various stakeholders, including the government exchequer, are arrested.