THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Dhanbad, August 19: Residents of Shabri Basti in Bharat Coking Coal Limited’s (BCCL) Modi Colliery area staged a road blockade today, pressing for compensation and rehabilitation at a safer location following land subsidence in their locality.
The protest took place on the Katras–Kerkendra main road around 10 am, with hundreds of residents, particularly women, demanding immediate action.
House Collapse Triggers Panic
On Monday morning, one house collapsed completely while more than a dozen structures developed cracks after a major subsidence in the area under Jogta police station, about 19 km from the district headquarters.
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Although BCCL management shifted the most-affected family to a community hall and began filling cracks in the locality, other residents, alarmed by the incident, insisted on permanent rehabilitation at a safe site.
Authorities Intervene and Offer Land
Upon receiving information about the blockade, BCCL Modidih Colliery Manager Dasharath Singh, Safety Officer Sitare Ahmad, Supervisor Neeraj Gupta, and Jogta police station officials reached the spot. They assured residents that land would be provided for rehabilitation.
After discussions, the officers showed some nearby locations to community leaders, following which the blockade was lifted after nearly one and a half hours.
Longstanding Issues of Shabri Basti
Shabri Basti has a history of relocation. Around 35 houses, home to about 300 people, remain in the area despite unauthorized families being rehabilitated on BCCL land in 1976–77.
With most residents relying on illegal coal picking for livelihood, they demanded alternative means of earning before agreeing to move from the area.
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Political Overtones
Local residents alleged that political leaders are using the incident for personal gain. They claimed Dhanbad MP Dhulu Mahto and Giridih MP CP Choudhary are competing for influence in the region.
While the Modidih Colliery falls within the assembly segment of Mahto’s elder brother and MLA Shatrughan Mahto, it comes under the parliamentary constituency of Choudhary, fueling political rivalry over the rehabilitation issue.
