(a) whether any amount has been provided to persons living within the unsafe
zones of the coal mines of the country for their rehabilitation during the last
three years till date ;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the number of families rehabilitated year-wise and State-wise?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL (DR.DASARI NARAYANA RAO)
(a)&(b): The unsafe zones of the mines are mainly in Jharia and Raniganj coalfields of
Bharat Coking Coal Ltd.(BCCL) and Eastern Coalfields Ltd.(ECL) respectively, where
mining was done in unscientific manner for more than a century by the erstwhile private
owners prior to Nationalization of coal mines. The long history of unscientific mining in
the past in these coalfields had led to increase in the number of sites prone to danger of
fire and subsidence. These problems have been receiving attention of all concerned from
time to time and mitigation measures have been taken on case to case basis at different times.
To deal with problem of fire and subsidence in a comprehensive manner, Master Plans have
been drawn for dealing with fire, subsidence and rehabilitation in the leasehold of BCCL and
ECL for an amount of Rs.5792.21 crores and Rs. 1769.40 crores respectively.The Master Plans
provide a sum of Rs.2446.91 crores for Jharia coalfields of BCCL and Rs. 1317.18 crores for
Raniganj Coalfields of ECL for rehabilitation of persons from unsafe areas of mines. Measures
envisaged in the Master Plan are to be implemented in a period of 20 years. No amount has
been provided to persons living in unsafe zones in Jharia coalfield & Raniganj coalfield.
However, BCCL has taken up one demonstration scheme for rehabilitation of 1500 BCCL people
and 3100 non-BCCL people from unsafe areas of mines. For BCCL employees, 344 houses have
already been constructed and 150 families have been shifted. The non-BCCL part has been taken
up by State Government and work order of 900 non-BCCL houses has been issued and work has
been started.
Similarly one demonstration scheme for rehabilitation of people from unsafe areas of mines have
been taken up in ECL also. The work of rehabilitation has been taken up by the State Govt. and
entrusted to Asansol Durgapur Development Authority (ADDA). Work is in progress and Rs.50
lakhs has already been paid to ADDA by ECL for taking up the rehabilitation work.
(c) : The details of families rehabilitated from unsafe areas in the Jharkhand state by BCCL during
last three years are as follows :-
Year No. of families rehabilitated 2001-02 32 2002-03 48 2003-04 70