Coal Mine Fire and its Impact on Human Habitation in Jharia Coalfield

Fire in coal mines of Jharia Coalfield became active with the lull after peak production during 1907-1913 when the fallen coal and over developed workings were left uncared for long in a condition suitable for spontaneous heating. First record of mine fire of 1916 at Bhowra followed continuous increase in number to 10 by 1935, 28 by 1937, 32 by 1966, 45 in 1976 and 65 fires spread over 17. 32 sq. km in 1996. The fires mostly in coking coal seams, reported to have engulfed nearly 37 million tonnes of coal and are advancing at a rate of 1 to 15m per year depending upon the status of development and connectivity to atmospheric air in Bhalgora, Sijua and Katras areas. The underground fires crawling with time, forcing the people to live over underground fire, breathing cracks and subsiding land. The status of hazard to the authorized or unauthorized habitation due to the fire was studied in depth and the need for evacuation and resettlement of a number of such houses and villages was worked out in 1997-1998. Top priority for evacuation was given to those dwellings /villages where fire has reached within draw zone in any or many seams. Out of 79 villages found to be critically unstable in Jharia Coalfield, 58 were mainly because of the fire in one or more seams immediately below the village. The worst affected residential patches were in Kusunda, Kustore, Bastacola, Lodna and Sijua areas. Nearly 6. 19 sq. km residential area with 12450 houses/huts, well built to mud houses required immediate rehabilitation only because of the fire danger. Many of these villages had smoke, cracks or subsidence in the vicinity. These fires have been active prior to nationalization and is a national problem. The fire moving slowly towards the residential areas was still out of draw zone in Subcritical areas but in many places including Jharia, Kusunda and Kerkend towns may come under the category of critical dwellings if the fire advance is not checked in time. The impact of fire is being realized in the form of environmental pollution in addition to burning of valuable coking coal, a national asset with no substitute in India. The coal company, which is not in a position to rehabilitate the villages to be shifted for efficient surface mining, can hardly afford any solution to the burning problem. The fire problem of the coalfield needs national attention like that of a flood hazard in the best interest of nearly 50, 000 persons in distress.