Dhanbad5 hours ago
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The incident took place at 10.30 am at Bhaura Mines located in Jharia of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL). A 10-year-old boy has also died in this.
Three people were killed in the collapse of a closed coal mine in Dhanbad, Jharkhand on Friday. A 10-year-old boy is also included in the dead. The incident took place at 10.30 am at Bhaura Mines located in Jharia of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).
Local people told that hundreds of people extract coal illegally in this area. Today, when the work of extracting coal was going on, suddenly with a loud noise, the chaal sank and many people got buried in it. The people around took out 3 people from the debris and took them to the hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
Here, Dhanbad’s SP Sanjeev Kumar told that the illegal mine collapse of BCCL has been reported. A dead body has been recovered. Rescue operation is underway. It is not yet known how many people are buried inside. We are waiting for the BCCL report. After that further action will be taken.
Many of the injured were taken by their relatives with them. Some people are still feared trapped in the debris.
DSP and Inspector are not aware of those killed and injured
DSP Abhishek Kumar said, the exact number of people killed and the number of injured are being ascertained. At the same time, Inspector Binod Oraon of Bhaura police station said that the rescue work is going on. It is too early to say anything about the number of injured and dead.
After the accident, the people of the nearby villages gathered at the spot and took out the dead bodies.
Demonstration of relatives for compensation
Two people killed in the accident have been identified. These include 10-year-old Jitendra Yadav and 25-year-old Madan Prasad. The identity of the third person is yet to be ascertained. The relatives of the deceased reached the GM office of Bhaura area with the bodies in the afternoon and demonstrated demanding compensation. During this, the Bhaura-Mohalbani main road remained jammed. Dozens of coal laden vehicles are stranded on the way.
The family alleges that a syndicate runs here which gets illegal coal mining done. Children are lured and sent to illegal mines and coal is extracted. The police have not yet taken the dead body in their possession. Nor is it confirming the figures of those killed in the incident.
Accidents have happened before
This is not the first time such an incident has happened before. No one has the data of death due to illegal mining. Many times even the family members who lost everything in the accident remain silent due to the fear of legal action. The incident took place during coal theft. The local villagers managed to escape with some of the injured.
Why is the land sinking?
The major reason behind land subsidence is non-compliance of all the procedures claimed by the coal companies even after mining on the mined area. After the extraction of coal is stopped, it should be filled with sand or fly ash. The mining companies leave the mine open like that. These places are then occupied by illegal mining gangs.
On November 18, a similar incident took place at Kapasara Outsourcing Colliery under ECL Mugma area in Nirsa, Dhanbad. Earlier the news came that 25 to 30 laborers were trapped there. Police said after investigation, there is no one here and the mine was filled from above.
Even after such accidents, illegal mining is not investigated in detail, directly after the accident, the mouth of the mine is closed and the entire investigation is stopped.
No clue, result accident…..
In Jharkhand’s Dhanbad, illegal mining is not only of coal, illegal mining of fire clay, fly ash and overburden is also done. In Dhanbad itself, more than 10,000 families are involved in illegal mining. In fact, there is no farming here throughout the year, in such a situation, the poor have the means of running the family by earning illegal mining. What safety equipment should be kept by this family related to illegal mining? Where the danger is more, there is no information about its assessment.
Coal companies which are mainly CL, BCCA and ECL. Companies stop mining at such mines, from where the cost of extracting coal becomes high. Coal mafia encroaches on these places and earns Rs 400 to 800 every day by luring the labourers. The laborers do mining up to 350 meters risking their lives. Many times the danger increases in such places, along with poisonous gas, many mines are filled with water. There is also a system for draining with a motor pump. Even when there is a problem of gas etc., it is taken out from inside by installing big fans.
Mining was being done from 41 years old mine
In July this year, a report of the NGT had come. Shocking revelations were made in this report. Illegal mining is still going on in the 41-year-old closed coal mine. The mouth of the mine was not closed till now, the Mines Closure Plan is not followed at all. Six years ago, many areas were also declared as abandonment on paper. But there is neither fencing nor CCTV cameras nor anyone’s attention. The central government also believes that there is theft of coal.
Illegal mining is a big problem, but the figures that go to the central government, reduce the seriousness of the matter and its danger. In the government statistics, only 11 cases related to illegal mining in Coal India companies have been registered in 2021-22, in which five cases are of CCL, while three cases are of mining companies in Jharkhand. Actually, from these figures, the central government is not able to understand the increasing danger in the state.
Increasing danger in these areas of Dhanbad
The areas of Dhanbad which are most at risk are mainly Kuhka, Sangamahal, Madma village and Fatka-Kalubthan road. Landslides have happened many times in the past at these three places. Subhash Colony is also in the danger zone. Shyampur hill has also been included in the subsidence area. Many roadside outlets have been opened in Kuhka and Hathbari.