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India's coal industry has long been a driving force in the nation's economy and for good reason. With abundant coal reserves and a growing demand for energy, the coal mining industry has been a vital part of India's economic growth. Unfortunately, the industry has a dark side, as the people of Jharkhand can attest. The Jharia Coalfield, located in Jharkhand, has a staggering 86,000 million tonnes of coal reserves, according to the Geological Survey of India. It's a veritable treasure trove of high-quality coal, coveted by nations around the world. But the cost of extracting it has been paid in the blood, sweat, and tears of the people of Jharkhand.
Jharkhand has 29% of India's coal mines with vast and high-quality coal reserves. However, the story of the coal mines in Jharkhand is one of struggle and sacrifice. Generations of miners have toiled in dangerous conditions to extract this valuable resource. The history of the coal industry in Jharkhand is rife with exploitation, from the unregulated and hazardous working conditions to the meager wages paid to miners.
The government eventually made the decision to nationalize private coal mines, hoping to improve safety standards, provide fair wages for workers, and ensure that the country's energy needs were being met in a responsible and sustainable manner. However, nationalization has not quite solved the problem. Even with access to alternative energy resources, the coal industry still plays a vital role in shaping India's economy and the lives of the labor force tied to it. And unfortunately, the people who form the backbone of India's coal mining industry have not been rewarded for their relentless efforts.
In Jharia, a neighborhood in Dhanbad city, 595 coal mining sites have been marked as dangerous. Underground fires have started coming onto the surface, and the walls of houses are cracking. The ground is sinking, and people are dying. The people of Jharia have been living in fear for the past 30 years, but they have no other option. They cannot afford to relocate. Even though things are seemingly fine during the daytime, at night, there are unpredictable underground fires surfacing that are consuming houses. If you take a walk through Jharia, you will see debris from houses and a dangerous fire raging underground. The residents of Jharia can testify to the severity of the coal dust situation, as they have started developing breathing issues.
To add insult to injury, there are constant power cuts for up to 12-14 hours, and sometimes no water supply for days on end. According to a report by the Ministry of Coal by 2015-17, 15 people were killed and 27 injured in Bastakhola, Jharia because of the ground sinking. There have been reports of people dying out of suffocation from the fumes leaking through from under the ground. The government has spent thousands of crores in dousing the forest at Jharia, but it has yet to relocate the people of Jharia to a safer place. On January 11, 2023, Ministry of Coal Secretary Amritlal Meena met the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, and said that relocating the people of Jharia to a safer place within three months is of paramount importance. However, residents of Jharia claim that no such action has been taken despite them filing the necessary documents for relocation. They believe that it is in the nature of authorities not to value the lives of poor people from backward castes.
Despite the relocation of only 5% of the population, the situation in Belgadia, located 14 km from Bastakhola, Jharia, is far from satisfactory. Relocated residents report a lack of basic amenities and job prospects, compounded by the presence of cracks in the walls and ceilings of their new homes. Water supply is limited to alternate days, with non-functioning handpumps and a malfunctioning overhead tank adding to their woes. While the move has offered some dregs of respite from the horrors of Jharia, residents remain plagued by misery and misfortune.
As we sit in our cozy homes, thousands of miles away, safe from the fear of a sudden roof collapse, we can hardly fathom the horror of a coal miner's life in India. News like this seldom makes it to the mainstream media but there will come a time when history will demand answers to the question - what did the nation do to address the appalling conditions of its coal miners? We can't undo centuries of exploitation and unscientific mining practices with a wave of a wand. The focus now must be on relocating the workers and their families to areas with proper facilities. It's high time that both the government and the industry take responsibility and work towards ensuring the safety and well-being of coal mine workers and their communities. It's time to explore alternative and sustainable energy sources to reduce the nation's reliance on coal.
