Dhanbad: Residents of Jharia’s fire and subsidence-affected areas launched an agitation on Thursday under the banner of the Koylanchal Nagrik Manch, demanding rehabilitation and adequate protection for affected families. Wearing black badges, residents protested against the BCCL management and district administration, alleging that a climate of fear and insecurity was being deliberately created to force people to leave Jharia without receiving proper compensation.The protesters claimed that incidents of land subsidence and cracks in houses have become frequent in several parts of Jharia, putting the lives and property of residents at risk. They alleged that adequate measures for filling underground voids with water, nitrogen and sand had not been carried out earlier according to prescribed norms, nor had proper monitoring been maintained.Residents further alleged that despite the risks, heavy blasting is still being carried out at some locations for coal extraction in violation of safety norms. According to them, the resulting fear could compel people to abandon their homes and land, ultimately benefiting BCCL, outsourcing companies and mining interests seeking access to valuable coal reserves beneath the affected areas.Koylanchal Nagrik Manch convener Raj Kumar Agrawal alleged that instead of resolving problems related to subsidence and cracks in houses, efforts were being made to create panic among residents. He asserted, “People of Jharia would continue fighting for their rights and agitation would be intensified if our demands were not addressed.”Agrawal said the organisation would soon meet the Union Coal minister and the Jharkhand chief minister and submit a memorandum highlighting the ground realities in Jharia.Meanwhile, BCCL management has maintained silence on the allegations. The district administration said efforts were being accelerated under the Jharia Rehabilitation Plan to shift affected families to safer locations, including Belgaria Township. Deputy Commissioner Aditya Ranjan said, “The rehabilitation process would be expedited so that people living in vulnerable areas could be shifted to safer locations at the earliest.”
