Question : FIRE AT JHARIA COAL MINE

(a) the total area of the Bharat Coking Coal Ltd. (BCCL) affected due to underground fire, the quantum of coal burnt so far and the progress made in regard to fire fighting project;

(b) the estimated coal reserve in Jharia area and the coal reserve out of it affected due to subsidence caused by fire smouldering therein;

(c) the steps proposed to be taken to put off the smouldering fire and save Jharia town;

(d) whether the Government is formulating any scheme to relocate Jharia town;

(e) if so, the details thereof alongwith the proposed rehabilitation scheme; and

(f) if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL (DR. DASARINARAYANA RAO)

(a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (f) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No.325 for answer on 17.08.2005 regarding Fire at Jharia Coal Mine.

(a): Total area affected by fire in Bharat Coking Coal Ltd. (BCCL) as per study conducted by Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Ltd. (CMPDIL) in 1999 is around 8.9 sq. km., out of the total leasehold area of about 270 sq. km. Total reserve lost due to fire is estimated at around 37 million tonnes. 10 fires have been extinguished and the remaining fires are by and large kept under control.

(b): Total geological reserve in BCCL leasehold area as assessed by Geological Survey of India (GSI) as on 1.1.2005 upto a depth of 1200 metre is 18.27 billion tonnes. Reserve blocked due to fire/subsidence caused by fire as estimated in 1995 is approximately 1453 million tonnes.

(c): The following measures are being taken by BCCL to control fire depending upon -the conditions:

# Blanketing/surface sealing/sealing;
# Sand flushing;
# Inert gas injection;
# Trench cutting;
# Water pooling etc.

(d) to (f): A Master Plan for `Dealing with Fire, Subsidence and Rehabilitation in the Leasehold of BCCL` has been prepared in April 2004. The Master Plan envisages rehabilitation of unstable and uncontrollable subsidence prone habitated areas of Jharia Coalfield. There is no proposal to relocate the main Jharia town. However, parts of Jharia town adjacent to surrounding areas have been identified to be shifted due to effect of fire and subsidence. The total capital outlay of the Master Plan is Rs. 5792.21 crores, out of which the cost of rehabilitation will be Rs. 2446.91 crores (March 2004 base).