Dhanbad: A series of land subsidence incidents in the Katras police station area of Dhanbad has sparked panic among residents, who have blamed heavy blasting by outsourcing mining companies for destabilising the ground and endangering nearby settlements.The latest cave-in occurred at Chhatabad on Aug 6, when a large tract of land subsided, swallowing around 24 houses and damaging roads. Several houses remain in the danger zone, leaving hundreds worried about their safety. No casualty was reported.Residents alleged that frequent high-intensity blasting at a nearby outsourcing project caused strong underground vibrations, aggravating instability in an area affected by old mine workings and decades of coal extraction.The incident came a month after subsidence at Chhatabad on July 7 had damaged houses and triggered protests. Another cave-in was reported at Selected Govindpur on Aug 3, where nearly six houses were destroyed. The recurring incidents have renewed demands for a scientific safety assessment and permanent rehabilitation of families living in vulnerable areas.Following the Aug 6 cave-in, residents gathered at the outsourcing project and stopped operations indefinitely. They alleged that prescribed mining safety norms were being violated and demanded suspension of heavy blasting until the safety of adjoining settlements was ensured.Local councillor Salauddin alleged that excessive blasting was being carried out to increase coal production at the cost of public safety. Residents also questioned the monitoring of mining-related hazards by Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) and the outsourcing agency.Affected families said adequate relief and rehabilitation measures were yet to be initiated. They demanded an immediate scientific survey, identification and demarcation of danger zones, compensation for damaged houses and permanent relocation to safer sites.Residents said they would not allow outsourcing operations to resume until concrete steps were taken on safety, compensation and rehabilitation. Police and CISF personnel have been deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident.Dhanbad deputy commissioner Aditya Ranjan said affected residents would be provided houses under the Jharia Rehabilitation Plan. The back-to-back cave-ins have again brought mining safety, blasting practices and the slow pace of rehabilitation in Dhanbad’s fire- and subsidence-prone coal belt under scrutiny.
