SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, July 26: Congress state vice-president Brajendra Prasad Singh has held Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), the district police, and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) responsible for the Block-2 abandoned mines incident, where several people are feared trapped.
Singh stated that the government is not only losing crores of rupees due to illegal mining in Dhanbad but lives are also being lost in such mishaps.
Expresses Concern Over Block-2 Tragedy
The Congress leader, who also serves as vice-president of Dhanbad District’s 20-point programme, expressed concern over the incident at BCCL’s Block-2 project on July 22, where multiple individuals were reportedly trapped during illegal mining operations. Rescue efforts are still underway.
“Last year, a similar illegal mining incident occurred in the Lodna colliery of BCCL, injuring several people, including police personnel. What is interesting is that whenever BCCL officers are questioned about coal theft or illegal mining, they deny any knowledge,” Singh remarked.
Alleges Nexus in Coal Theft
Singh, who is also chairman of the Congress State Disciplinary Committee, alleged that coal thieves in Dhanbad operate fearlessly, extracting coal on a large scale from abandoned mines of BCCL and Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL). “There is no doubt that white-collar individuals in the district are involved,” he added.
The Congress leader asserted that unless BCCL, the police, and CISF are brought under control, coal theft in Dhanbad will continue, causing ongoing losses to the government.
