SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi, Sept 19: A special committee of the Jharkhand Assembly has begun its probe into allegations of encroachment by outsourcing companies and overburden (OB) dumping on farmland in Area-10 of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).
The committee is coordinated by Tundi MLA Mathura Prasad Mahto (JMM) and includes Nirsa MLA Arup Chatterjee (CPIML), Dhanbad Sadar MLA Raj Sinha (BJP), Chandankyari MLA Umakant Rajak (JMM), Sindri MLA Chandradeo Mahto alias Babloo Mahto (CPIML), Torpa MLA Sudeep Gudia (JMM), and Boria MLA Dhananjay Soren (Congress).
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Meetings with Officials
The committee, which arrived on Thursday, held meetings with officials of the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) and the district administration.
One of the members said they would carry out spot inspections in various BCCL colliery areas to verify whether outsourcing companies are dumping overburden (mine rejects) in compliance with regulations.
The committee was constituted after several MLAs raised concerns in the Assembly that outsourcing companies engaged in BCCL mines had encroached on farmland and were illegally dumping overburden.
Reports also surfaced that farmers opposing the dumping were allegedly threatened or assaulted by goons of these companies.
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Key Demands and Concerns
The committee has sought details on the duration of coal mining leases and the terms of overburden dumping from outsourcing companies.
They have also demanded records related to forest land use and the measures taken by these companies to control pollution caused by overburden and coal mining activities.
Due to heavy rains on Thursday, the committee could not visit all the designated sites. However, members confirmed that inspections of BCCL colliery areas would continue until September 21.
