Road cave-in triggers protest in Dhanbad
DHANBAD: Kusunda Harijan Basti area in Dhanbad witnessed protest by the residents on Sunday after a portion of a road caved-in no sooner a heavy vehicle carrying coal waste passed by.
Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), which owns the coal mine, had outsourced the extraction work to a mining company. The land which collapsed on Sunday is located roughly 1500 meters away from Kusunda railway station.
The residents of the Harijan Basti forced the outsourcing company to stop its operations after the incident and demanded immediate filling up of the land.
Rajesh Bhuian, a resident, said: “We are well aware that we reside in a dangerous area but we have no choice but to stay here in the absence of an alternative site.”
He alleged use of powerful explosives by the outsourced company had caused the road to collapse. “If it’s not stopped our entire village will subside.”
He said they lodged their complaint with former MLA Mannan Mallik, who visited the spot and asked the BCCL authorities to repair the caved-in road immediately.
BCCL project officer UP Singh said the company had already declared the areas as dangerous and urged the residents to shift to safe locations. “We are persuading people to leave the area but some of them are creating hindrances,” he said.
Attempts are on to fill up the caved in portion of the road, said Singh.
Jharia rehabilitation and development Authority (JRDA) is constructing 16,000 flats at Belgarhia and Nipania for people living in the affected areas.
While 2000 flats in the same location are ready to welcome people, the JRDA managing committee has invited tender for 4000 more flats, said rehabilitation officer Gopalji.