Coal is a highly inflammable resource.
It is an important source of energy.
Coal is mined by many big companies.
Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) is one such company.
Due to negligence by CCL, Kujju-Coaliery mines in Ramgarh District has caught fire.
Due to the fire,
about 4500 residents who live close by are affected.
The fire has been burning since before 2000.
That time it was less.
It was a small fire when CCL opened a company here;
But when it came in contact with
the atmosphere, and the fire started spreading.
If government will give us (land), we will go from here.
Otherwise where will we go.
If we had money, then we could have moved quickly.
Now we have to bear the smoke.
There are so many illnesses due to it,
cold and cough.
Different types of problems- someone has headaches, due to the smoke.
There is no opportunity for work.
Now we were living here somehow, but now there's a fire here too...
Where will we go from the fire? Where will the poor go?
Living and eating is a problem here;
there is also the risk of collapse.
Nobody knows when it'll happen.
Nobody is thinking of the future.
The government keeps telling us that we should move quickly.
Where should we move to? The streets or the forest?
Right now the wind is blowing that way, so it's not a problem.
If the wind blows this way
it is difficult for everybody to breathe, children, young and old.
The government, the people, everyody knows; you think CCL doesn't know?!
Everybody knows everything.
CCL has all the benefits.
They will write on paper with pen saying we have stopped the fire!
They stopped the fire in 2009 also!
Then why is there a fire again?!
What happened?!
If the fire had been quenched, then there shouldn't be a fire again no?!
Now go and look at the state of the fire!
On side the land is collapsing and on another the fire is blazing!
And the fire is as high as 3 floors, 3 floors!
That fire is not going to stop.
As long as they don't cut and release the fire; it won't stop.
CCl wants to do patch up work and finish the matter.
They are not going to stop the fire.
All this area, including the railways and everything will be consumed by the fire.
The DC had sent his notice.
But the public is not ready to leave this place.
If there's blasting, we will die.
If there is a fire, we will die
But we will not leave our homes,
Make some arrangements for us.
Let the government make the appropriate arrangements,
then we will leave ourselves.
Does anybody want to die like this?
I appeal to the viewers,
please call the general manager of Kujju Coaliery
Mr. M.K. Mishra,
on +918987785011
and tell him about the situation.
So that, for the people living around the affected areas
arrangements for livelihood and relocation are made.
I am Basanti Soren, from Jharkhand's Ramgarh district, for India Unheard.