Jharia Master Plan brings down surface fires sites from 77 to 27

The Ministry of Coal has managed to reduce the number of fire sites in the Jharia Coalfield from 77 to 27 after the implementation of the Jharia Master Plan in 2009, resulting in a significant reduction of the affected surface area from 17.32 square kilometres to just 1.80 square kilometres.

"The total count of fire sites decreased from 77 to 67 by 2009 and further dropped to 27 by 2021. In efforts to combat these fires, Bharat Coking Coal Limited implemented 27 projects utilising various techniques like surface sealing, trenching, and inert gas infusion," the Ministry of Coal said in a statement on Monday.

The problems in the Jharia Coalfield trace their origins back to 1916 when coal fires first ignited. Before nationalisation, when the coalfield was under private ownership, mining practices neglected safety, environmental conservation, and preservation, resulting in land degradation, subsidence, and enduring coal mine fires.

Following nationalisation in 1978, joint teams of experts from Poland and India conducted extensive investigations to assess the scale of the fires. They identified 77 active fire sites spread across 41 BCCL collieries. In response to these findings, the Indian government took action by establishing a High-Power Committee in 1996, with the Ministry of Coal's Secretary as its chair, to tackle the challenges posed by the fires and address the resettlement requirements in Jharia.

Way Ahead

Even after the expiration of the Jharia Master Plan in August 2021, the Ministry of Coal continues to review the progression. A committee was constituted in 2022, headed by the Secretary of Coal, to review the Jharia Master Plan with a focus on extinguishing fires, rehabilitating affected families, and proposing a way forward.

Amidst the ongoing rehabilitation efforts, the projection for coal evacuation remained a priority. Out of the estimated 107 MT of coal in 16 locations, approximately 43 MT had been extracted by June 2023, the value of which is about Rs 14,000 crore.

In 2009, the Jharia Master Plan received approval, outlining a strategy that encompassed a 10-year implementation phase and a budget of Rs 7,112.11 crore. This plan specifically allocated 595 sites covering an area of 25.70 square kilometres for rehabilitation.

As per the Jharia Master Plan approved in 2009, it was estimated that about 37 MT of good quality prime coking coal has been destroyed due to fire, Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha in August.

Some coal mines of Jharia in Jharkhand have been burning for many years due to unscientific mining prior to the nationalisation of coal mines, the minister had said.

"The government is aiming to control surface fire at 27 locations of 19 coal mines in Jharia, Jharkhand, by the end of 2025," the ministry had said.