Jharkhand HC seeks fresh data on air pollution in coal city of Dhanbad

Ranchi, Oct 6 (PTI) The Jharkhand High Court on Monday directed Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) to inform it about the company's stand on providing funds to the Dhanbad Municipal Corporation to curb pollution in the coal heartland.

The court has also sought fresh data on the level of air pollution in Dhanbad.

A public interest litigation has been filed by an organisation, the Gramin Ekta Manch, before the high court expressing concern about the increase in air pollution due to transportation of coal in Dhanbad.

A division bench of Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Rajesh Shankar, while hearing the petition, directed BCCL to file an affidavit informing about allocation of funds for checking air pollution in the city.

The court was informed by the Dhanbad Municipal Corporation that the coal company has not provided any funds for controlling pollution.

The Jharkhand Pollution Control Board in its affidavit mentioned the data of July 2025 that the pollution level in Dhanbad has gone down.

The court sought for an up to date status report of pollution in Dhanbad and will hear the matter again on November 17.

Earlier, the high court had directed the government, Dhanbad Municipal Corporation and the BCCL to provide data with regards to air pollution in Dhanbad.

The data provided was two years old, following which the court has sought fresh data to be compiled and submitted before the bench.

The petitioner organisation has mentioned that no steps are being taken to check air pollution in Dhanbad.

The BCCL said that transportation of coal is being done through trucks which are covered to prevent cold dust from being spread in the air.

Timely monitoring of transportation of coal and frequent water spraying is also being done to check the pollution level, the company informed the high court. PTI COR NAM NN