As many as 45 houses collapsed due to subsidence, a common occurrence in Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) coal belt, in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district in the wee hours today but no casualty was reported.
"The subsidence occurred between 3 AM and 3.30 AM. The area was declared dangerous last year," General Manager (BCCL-Area No. 4) A K Dutta said here.
Most the affected houses had been abandoned and therefore there was no casualty, Dhanbad Superintendent of Police Hemant Toppo said.
The area underground had become hollow after mining of coal and inadequate filling up by the erstwhile colliery owner lead to the subsidence, he said.
A BCCL officer said the management had declared the zone dangerous and served eviction notices to the residents of the houses in 2013.
Of the 45 houses that subsided, 15 were abandoned quarters of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).
Arbind Mondal, a resident of one of the houses which subsided, said he had heard a deafening sound at night and thought it was a routine blast to extract coal in the colliery.
"Then the house began to slowly subside. We rushed out and alerted our neighbours.
"All the people managed to move to safety and the houses, spread over 200 square metres gradually sunk in around 15 feet," Mondal told visiting reporters.
Dutta said temporary residential arrangement has been made for victms' families with and a safe place is being located for their rehabilitation.
INTUC has held BCCL responsible for the incident. Its general secretary O P Lal visited the spot and said the company should have taken safety measures at the time of declaring the area dangerous.
