Amid protests, NDRF begins assessment of poisonous gas leak in Dhanbad

Dhanbad, Dec 7 (PTI) Amidst protests by local residents, a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel from Ranchi reached Dhanbad on Sunday to assess the level of poisonous gas emissions from underground coal mines, officials said.

The team visited Rajput Basti in Putki Balihari (PB) colliery area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), which falls within Kenduadih police station limits and is located around 15 km from the district headquarters.

However, NDRF personnel refused to share any information with waiting journalists.

Kenduadih police station officer-in-charge Prabodh Pandey said, "The team is assessing the level of gas leakage, the type of gas being emitted, and how to mitigate it." Officials said the team is examining gas leakage near the abandoned GM Bangla in the PB Area of Rajput Basti.

Emissions have been reported from three locations — Rajput Basti, Muslim Muhalla, and near the Kenduadih police station building.

The emission of the toxic carbon-monoxide gas was first reported on Wednesday in Rajput Basti. This led to the death of two women and the hospitalisation of more than two dozen residents — mostly children and women — at the local Kustore Regional Hospital of BCCL and Central Hospital, Dhanbad.

However, till 6 pm on Sunday, no fresh cases of gas-affected residents were reported. Residents said they could still smell a low level of gas.

As the NDRF team, accompanied by district administration officials, Kenduadih police personnel, and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawans, began their assessment in the afternoon, residents staged strong protests and tried to obstruct the work.

Lal Bahadur Singh, a resident, alleged that BCCL was using the pretext of gas leakage to evict locals for a mega coal project.

Meanwhile, residents were taken in two buses to Belagadia Township to view quarters proposed for their relocation.

The township has been developed by the Jharia Rehabilitation and Development Authority (JRDA) for residents of underground mine fire zones.

On Saturday, carbon monoxide levels in the air were recorded as dangerously high, reaching up to 1,500 parts per million (ppm) — about 30 times the permissible limit of 50 ppm, an expert said. PTI COR RPS RPS MNB