Expressing grave concern over the alleged negligence in filling required sand in the coalmine vacuums, the Brahmani Anchal Suraksha Parishad, Talcher has urged the Chief Minister to take immediate steps to save lives of 2 lakh people of Talcher.
“Due to want of filling of required quantity of sand in underground MCl coalmines at Dulbera, a Handidhua and Dera, subsidence has occurred at 20 places in the last 35 years. Besides, subsidence occurred at three places recently gives an indication of imminent danger for the people of Talcher,” Parishad president and former MlA Bibhudendra Pratap Das mentioned in a letter to CM recently.
Apprising the CM that Talcher comes under the earthquake-prone area and the Talcher-Angul Development Authority has declared the above coal mines as no construction area on the instruction of the Mines Safety Director, Das has urged him to shift the Talcher people soon.
“The families should be shifted by with their willingness and adequate compensation. Otherwise their lives will be at risk,” Das said, adding that former Steel and Mines Minister had apprised the State Assembly in 2011 that 41.8 per cent of the voids were filled with sand.
Das informed that even though many meetings held earlier between the district administration, the MCl authorities and people’s representatives the MCl was asked the MCl to fill up the underground coalmines with sand, the latter has not acted accordingly. He further informed that the Odisha High Court had issued a direction to take steps for protection of lives at Talcher while adjudicating a PlI filed by him in 1992.
Das also submitted a memorandum to Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Samal and urged him to write to the Union Coal Minister for appropriate steps. He said MCl would be held responsible if any damage happens to the lives and properties of the people.