Need to make people free from dust in mining areas: Raghubar

Ranchi: Chief Minister Raghubar Das said that there was a need to liberate the people in the mining areas who are forced to live life amidst the dust and pointed out that it is under the policy to develop parks, public utilities where the mining has ended but this rule is being ignored by the coal companies.

During a meeting with Union Coal and Mining Minister Prahlad Joshi he said that people are getting sick due to dust as they have to drink contaminated water. He said that in the mines in which the mining work has been completed a park should be constructed and developed as this will also free people from the dust and the government will also get land to settle people.

Mr Das said that Coal India and its subsidiary company should ensure the participation of the displaced people of that mining area in the transportation and engage in the coal mining sector. He said that despite the huge coal reserves in Jharkhand, people here are poor. He said that the state government is promoting small and cottage industries and asked the Ministry of Coal to allot coal blocks to JSMDC, a unit of Government of Jharkhand, through which coal can be supplied to small industries uninterrupted.

He said that this will help a large number of people to get employment from cottage industries and their standard of living will change. He said that the government will open a skill development center to make these people skillful where people will be able to connect with employment and self-employment by getting training.

The Chief Minister said that in the course of his field visit, many people complained that the coal companies have taken land from the people but have not fulfilled the promises made to them. The Ministry of Coal should direct those companies to fulfill the promise and carry out well-planned programs for the welfare of citizens in the mining sector he said adding that the state government will provide all possible help in this task.

The Union Coal Minister said that a member of a family whose land has been taken for mining in the BCCL area will be given a job on the basis of merit and qualification. The meeting decided to further expand the sports academy. At the same time, the Minister of Coal, through Coal India and its subsidiary company, gave its consent to work under CSR as per the priority of the State Government.