Dhanbad district administration and Jharia Rehabilitation and Development Authority (JRDA) are looking for vacant land lying idle with Fertilizer Corporation of India plant at Sindri to resettle over one lakh coal fire affected families from Jharia coalfields. The land would be taken in case the authorities persist with G+3 housing model for the settlers instead of the proposed nine storey structures.
A high-level meeting in this regard was held on Wednesday in Delhi where Union Coal Minister Piyush Goyal and senior officials of the Ministry discussed various models along with Additional Chief Secretary, Mines and Geology Department, UP Singh and other senior officials. "We gave presentation before the Coal Ministry and highlighted couple of issues involved in the Jharia rehabilitation plan. We have sought directions whether to persist with G+3 or switch to G+8. Secondly, raise the existing built-up area from 29 meter 2 to 50 meter 2 and whether continue with conventional buildings or go for prefabricated structures. We would chalk out our future course of action in this direction as per the direction coming from the Centre," said Dhanbad DC KN Jha on Thursday on his return from Delhi.
The DC explained that if the Ministry permits for the high-rises there won't be much requirement for land. "But considering the other constraints involved, we are also in talks with FCI's land at Sindri. Preliminary discussion on the matter has taken place and they have shown interest in handing over 500 acres of land for settlement purposes. We can go for that if need be," added Jha.
As per the survey conducted by JRDA, there are about 91,000 entitled settlers besides, 30,000 titleholders who are needed to be shifted as the unabated inferno has taken control over the Dhanbad-Jharia coal belt of the BCCl for decades. Out of over 1.20 lakh families, the authority has been successful in resettling not more than 1700 of them at Old Belgarhia and New Belgarhia areas of Baliapur block of Dhanbad.
Though the JRDA, as per the Master plan, is in the process of constructing 7,000 quarters at Nipania and Belgharia and tender process is also on for another 10,000 quarters in the area, but dilemma over a suitable model has halted the process.
"G+8 structures can ease land issue but considering economic status of the settlers, installation and operation of lifts in the buildings would be an area of concern. Presently, we are in a possession of about 950 acres which would be sufficient for the existing numbers under the high rise model. But if we get direction to go for G+3 only and if the built up area is to be taken up to 50 meter2, for which there is a great deal of pressure coming from the families, then we need more land coming in the form of FCI and other sources," said a top official in JRDA.
He went on adding that due to the proposal for expanding the size of the houses, tendering process for building new ones has been halted a bit in recent times putting entire process of construction on hold. The district administration, besides FCI's land at Sindri, has also identified 350 acres in western part of Jharia because of reluctance it is facing from the settlers from Katras and adjoining to come and shift to Belgarhia due to distance.