THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Dhanbad, July 19: Jharkhand Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari said that the primary objective of the Revised Jharia Master Plan is the safe rehabilitation of residents living in fire and subsidence-prone areas of Jharia.
During her visit today to Belgaria Township—developed for families displaced by the Jharia fire zone—she stated that the government aims to provide a safe, livable environment and link residents with employment opportunities through skill development initiatives.
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Over 1.4 Lakh Families Await Rehabilitation
According to a 2019 survey, over 1.4 lakh families are still residing in fire and subsidence-affected areas of Jharia. Under the original Jharia Master Plan–1, Belgaria Township was developed for their resettlement. However, many families refused to relocate due to inadequate basic amenities.
To address these concerns, the Revised Jharia Master Plan–2, announced by the central government in June 2025, has earmarked ₹5,940 crore for the rehabilitation of affected families in safer zones.
Fresh Subsidence Incident During CS Visit
Ironically, while the Chief Secretary was in Dhanbad, a major land subsidence occurred in a Jharia township on Friday night, underlining the urgency of relocation efforts.
Alka Tiwari arrived in Dhanbad on Friday for a two-day visit. On the first day, she chaired a review meeting at the Collectorate with officials from the district administration and Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) regarding the implementation of the revised plan. On Saturday, she assessed the living conditions at Belgaria Township.
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Directives for Facility Upgrades and Community Engagement
At Belgaria, the Chief Secretary interacted personally with residents and students from displaced families. She instructed district administration and BCCL officials to improve transportation and other essential infrastructure in the township.
Top Officials Accompany CS During Visit
Chief Secretary Tiwari was accompanied by several senior officials, including Mines Director Rahul Kumar, North Chotanagpur Commissioner Pawan Kumar, Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner Aditya Ranjan, SSP Prabhat Kumar, City SP Ritwick Srivastava, ADM (Law & Order) Hema Prasad, SDM Rajesh Kumar, BCCL Director (Technical) Sanjay Kumar Singh, Director (Planning & Project) Manoj Kumar Agrawal, and Director (HR) Murli Krishna Ramaiyya.