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12.04 hrs.
CALLING ATTENTION TO MATTER OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE
(i) Situation arising out of subsidence at Sanctoria and other parts of
coal bearing areas of Eastern Coalfields Limited and steps taken by the Govt. in regard thereto
Title: Shri Basu Deb Acharia called the attention of the Minister of Coal to the situation arising out of subsidence at Sanctoria and other parts of coal bearing areas of Eastern Coalfields Limited and steps taken by the Government in regard thereto.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): Sir, I call the attention of the Minister of Coal to the following matter of urgent public importance and request that he may make a statement thereon:
“The situation arising out of subsidence at Sanctoria and other parts of coal bearing areas of Eastern Coalfields Limited and steps taken by the government in regard thereto.”
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF MINES (DR. DASARI NARAYAN RAO): Sir, a subsidence has occurred in Sanctoria village on 27.11.2004 at about 2.20 p.m. above the period 1912 to 1923.
MR. SPEAKER: You are omitting a whole line. It is ””””2.20 p.m. above the old workings …..””””
DR. DASARI NARAYAN RAO: No, Sir. It is ””””at about 2.20 p.m. above the period 1912 to 1923….””””
MR. SPEAKER: Then, you have given a wrong statement to the Speaker. You have given a different statement to the Speaker. What is all this?
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Probably, I have been given incorrect copy.
DR. DASARI NARAYAN RAO: Sir, I will correct it.
MR. SPEAKER: Okay. Thank you. I will correct it myself.
… (Interruptions)
DR. DASARI NARAYAN RAO: No mining activities have been undertaken at this place since the formation of Eastern Coalfields Limited.
Cracks have been noticed in 56 houses, out of which 24 houses were considered for immediate vacation and the residents were allotted temporary accommodation nearby. Rest of the Houses are under observation.
Stabilisation work with sand filling through boreholes is already under progress as per approved scheme of Sanctoria village and till November, 2004, 21,000 cu.m. of sand has been filled to drill suitable boreholes in the village and due to difficulty in carrying of material, the desired progress could not be obtained.
Central Mining Research Institute (CMRI), a scientific Institution, has been entrusted the job to study, and suggest measures.
The Sanctoria village is also earmarked for rehabilitation as per action plan to control fire, and subsidence in Raniganj coalfield. The work of rehabilitation is to be taken up by the State Government. The West Bengal State Government has entrusted the job to Asansol-Durgapur Development Authority (ADDA). ADDA has been requested to take-up the job of rehabilitation on priority for Sanctoria village.
For other parts of the area of ECL, as per action plan, 43 stabilisation schemes are to be implemented with an estimated cost of Rs. 411.84 crore. Three stabilisation schemes have been completed, and six are under progress. Similarly, 92 rehabilitation schemes with an estimated cost of Rs. 1,317.18 crore are to be implemented in 20 years. Sanctoria village also forms a part of the above rehabilitation schemes.
For expediting the above action plan, four (demonstration) rehabilitation schemes, namely, Samdih village, Kenda village, Refugee Basti (Bangal para), and Harishpur village have been approved and taken up for implementation. But the villagers are reluctant to shift to the proposed rehabilitation sites. The West Bengal State Government has entrusted the job to Asansol-Durgapur Development Authority (ADDA). ADDA has taken up the job of demographic survey and about rehabilitation of the four sites, which are under progress. ADDA has already been given Rs. 50 lakh by ECL. Further fund for rehabilitation will be provided to ADDA by ECL from the rehabilitation scheme fund, as and when required.
The successful implementation of the four schemes will make a headway in implementing the entire master plan of Raniganj Rehabilitation Schemes.
In this regard, the Government have taken adequate steps for implementation of the action plan, and in providing necessary funds for the same.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA : Sir, Raniganj coalfield is the oldest coalfield of our country. Before the nationalisation of coalmines, when the mines were in the private sector, unscientific mining and slaughter mining had taken place there as there was no scientific mining. Sir, after nationalisation of coalmines, the Government of India had not taken any concrete steps to prevent the subsidence, and control and contain the fire.
I had visited Sanctoria village four years back, when there was subsidence. Sir, there had been subsidence in 1969, then again in 1991, then again in 1999, and then again in 2004. When the first subsidence had taken place, nothing was done in order to protect the village, prevent the subsidence by sand-stowing. There is one technology, which is called ‘hydro-pneumatic sand-stowing’, but it has been proved that this technology is not effective to prevent the subsidence of the area.
Sir, the hon. Minister in his statement has stated that : “Similarly, 92 rehabilitation schemes with an estimated cost of Rs. 1,317.18 crore are to be implemented in 20 years.”
There are two aspects. One aspect is to prevent the subsidence — contain and control the fire. Another aspect is the rehabilitation of the villagers, the people who are being affected because of subsidence. For rehabilitation, the estimate was done more than ten years back, in 1994, and proper survey was also not made. Now, there is a need for an expert committee to go into the entire problem and report to the Government as to what is the nature of the problem and how much fund is required to prevent the subsidence. That is urgently required because no expert committee, in the past, had gone into this aspect properly because there is no proper mapping of underground mining.
There are a large number of underground mines that had been abandoned by the erstwhile owners, and these abandoned mines are creating problems. The Minister has stated that subsidence had taken place “where workings were made during the period 1912 to 1923. No mining activities have been undertaken at this place since the formation of Eastern Coalfields Limited” — as if, after nationalisation, ECL, where there is no working in the mines, has no responsibility. After nationalisation, ECL has the responsibility and, therefore, the Central Government has the responsibility to tackle this problem. It is a national problem. The Supreme Court of India has given a direction to the Government of India to tackle this problem on a war-footing, but whatever is being done is being done at a snail’s pace.
MR. SPEAKER: Please put your question.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA : Within the last four years, what is the progress that has been made in completing this work? The progress is nothing.