Jharkhand News: Coal minister in Dhanbad to assess Jharia coal fire-hit residents’ rescue plan

SUBHASH MISHRA

Dhanbad, July 25: Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy along with Coal India Limited (CIL) Chairman PM Prasad arrived here on a two-day visit to review development projects of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) and assess the Jharia coalfield mines fire zone.

At the Barbadda airstrip, the union minister told media persons that it was his first visit to Dhanbad and he had come to meet people (coal fire-affected residents) and take first-hand reports of their problems.

In his two-day meeting, the union minister besides visiting different coalfield fire zones and subsidence-prone affected areas of BCCL, will also meet fire-affected people.

Coal minister to visit Sijua Area

A senior official of BCCL said that the minister will visit the Sijua Area followed by the Kusund fire area where he will talk with fire-affected residents. The minister will also go to Belagaria Township of displaced persons to assess the facilities provided to them.

He said the union minister will hold a high-level meeting over the Jharia Master Plan (meant for the rehabilitation of fire zone-affected residents) and increasing production of coal in BCCL.

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BCCL CMD Samiran Dutta

BCCL CMD Samiran Dutta along with senior officials inspected fire affected Sendra Bansjor where the stage was made for a visit of the union minister

In one year, this is the second time the union coal minister will visit the fire-affected Jharia coalfield. Last year in July the then Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi visited the Bansjora fire zone and interacted with affected residents.

1.4 lakh families in the fire zone to be rescued

As per the survey of responsible agencies, 1.4 lakh families are living in dangerous fire zones and require rehabilitation at safe places. Among them, 72,882 are unauthorised residents while 32,046 are legal Land Title Holders (LTH).

The Jharia Master Plan of the central government meant to rehabilitate fire-affected families expired in August 2021.

A senior coal officer said the coal minister after visiting the affected fire zone area will discuss the new rehabilitation project with CIL, BCCL and Dhanbad district administration.

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Profit-making BCCL gears up for the Minister’s visit

Meanwhile, profit-making BCCL is geared up for the visit of the union coal minister to apprise him about the future development projects of the coal company.

An official said under the leadership of Samiran Dutta BCCL registered a record profit of over Rs 7000 crores despite facing all odds in the first quarter of 2024-25 financial years.

In the 2023-24 financial year, the loss-making BCCL had registered a profit of Rs 15,646 crores.