'Cracked Walls, Temp 60°C': 70,000 Living Over Jharia Coal Fire Await Safe Home

Thousands in Jharkhand's Jharia are living dangerously close to coal fires. Why have the authorities not intervened?

Nov 11, 2024

In the heart of Jharkhand’s coal belt, a (literal) fire has been burning for 108 years. Jharia, in Dhanbad district, has housed a unique geological phenomenon in its underbelly which makes it both rich and poor at the same time.

Rich because Jharia’s land is known to have reserves of one of the purest forms of coal — coking coal — which is available very close to the surface. Coking coal is primarily used in making steel, the backbone of many infrastructure projects.

Poor because a spontaneous fire, caused by temperature and pressure conditions over 100 years ago, is not only burning away precious coal (worth millions of dollars) underground but has also rendered the land extremely unstable and unlivable for its residents.

“The temperature in my house is 50-60 degrees Celsius throughout the year. There are cracks in the floors and walls, and all of us suffer from breathing issues because of the coal dust and toxic gases that emanate from the open-cast mines,” said Jeevan Raut, a resident of Jharia.

A Master Plan, to rehabilitate Jharia’s nearly one lakh residents, was first commissioned in 1996. 28 years later, it's far from completion.

“The state government can’t promise anything because it is Coal India Ltd (CIL) which is displacing the people,” said Purnima Singh, sitting Congress MLA from Jharia.

Purnima is contesting against her sister-in-law Ragini Singh from the BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections in Jharkhand. Ragini is married to former MLA Sanjeev Singh, son of coal mafia don Suryadeo Singh, from whose life the film Gangs of Wasseypur was inspired.

So, what makes Jharia an interesting constituency?

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