A Report on the Rehabilitation Project for the people residing in the unstable locations of Raniganj Coalfield Area.

  1. Brief Introduction:

The Raniganj coalfield represents the easternmost coal basin in the Damodar Valley Region and major part of it falls in the Bardhaman district of West Bengal.

In Raniganj coalfield, superior quality non-coking coal occurring in thick seams at shallow depth was mined indiscriminately leaving with very small size pillars. During the 19th century, the Raniganj coalfield was the most important producer of coal in India. Coal seams nearer to the surface were worked by Bord & Pillar method only. Entries were made through either small shallow shafts or inclines. Small areas round the entries were worked manually and pillars were reduced indiscriminately that caved-in in some places.

In the old days when the surface was not densely populated the operators had extracted as much coal as possible without stowing or supporting. The surface rights were generally not acquired. In course of time when these holdings were abandoned habitation started growing over the old abandoned workings first slowly and subsequently at a rapid pace. Growth of population took place for various reasons, such as general growth of population, migration of population from distant villages to areas adjoining coal mines in search of livelihood and growth of business and industry in coal belt. This was further accelerated after nationalization of coal mines in 1973.

Large numbers of pot holes have occurred indicating ground movement. Aging of pillars and subsequent weathering effects are continuous. These old workings are now waterlogged. Equilibrium is being maintained in the old waterlogged workings due to hydrostatic pressure. Collapses can not be ruled out once water level is lowered.

With the growing commercial importance of Asansol sub-division, various townships have come up during the last century and further growth is going on, even though some of the areas fall among those declared unsafe by Directorate General of Mines Safety.

Stability of strata is disturbed when mining is done. Subsidence of surface is an inherent phenomenon associated with mining and that is why mining is taken as accepted form for change of land use all over the world.

Unplanned and unsystematic coal mining activities, spread over decades during past in shallow deposits up to about 60m depth poses serious problem of subsidence. In Raniganj Coalfield about 8.0 sq.km. of inhabited area is under the threat of subsidence. Thus hydrostatic pressure is holding these areas and occurrence of subsidence cannot be ruled out once the water level is disturbed.

The old abandoned mines underlying the inhabited areas are mostly water logged and unapproachable. Working of lower seams may induce cracks which eventually will drain out the water. Once the old workings are dewatered, subsidence is likely to take place immediately. After the subsidence breathing of air will cause spontaneous combustion. Once the workings are on fire, environmental problems will become more acute.

Due to possible subsidence or pot holing, there has been agitation demonstration and public hue and cry.

Various committees submitted reports regarding the problem and made their recommendations. Since no suitable technology was available to stabilize such inaccessible waterlogged workings, many of them have recommended evacuation of habitations as the only alternative.

In December 1996, Govt. of India constituted a high Power Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Coal with other members from the Govt. of Bihar & west Bengal, Planning Commission, DGMS, Ministry of Labour, Chairman CIL, CMDs of ECL, BCCL & CMPDI with director (Tech), Ministry of Coal as member Secretary to review the problems of fire & subsidence in Jharia and Raniganj coal fields and suggest measures to deal with problems of existing habitation on subsidence / fire prone areas.

As decided by the high powered committee in 1996, it became extremely necessary to prepare a comprehensive Master Plan to deal with the problems of fire, rehabilitation and subsidence control in RCF of ECL. CMPDI, RI-1, Asansol was entrusted to generate base line data for preparation of Master Plan. Accordingly, a comprehensive Master Plan to deal with the problems of fire, rehabilitation and subsidence was prepared by CMPDI, Asansol, for Raniganj Coal Field in February, 1999.

Master Plan 1999 envisaged the following:

A.Subsidence control of 59 unstable and controllable inhabitated sites through hydro-pneumatic stowing within a time frame of 20 years in four phases, each of 5 years duration

B.Rehabilitation of 8891 families from the 80 unstable and uncontrollable sites within a time frame of 20 years, in 4 phases, each of 5 years duration. Total no. of population proposed to be rehabilitated were 47376 from 80 localities.

C.Diversion of Rail/road etc. in 7 locations covering an affected length of 1.8 KM

D.In addition, dealing with surface fire in 7 areas covering 640.80 ha.

However necessity of revision of the Master Plan was felt afterwards and as an outcome of writ petition (Civil) No. 387/97 filed by Sri Haradhan Roy, ex-Member of Parliament in 1997, an Action Plan for shifting and rehabilitation, dealing with fire/diversion and stabilization of unstable areas was prepared in April ’03. This Action Plan was prepared based on Master Plan’99. Afterwards, DGMS constituted a committee and submitted its report in Aug’05. One of the observations of the committee was:

“During the course of deliberations, the matter of long term stability of subsidence prone areas after undertaking control measures like hydro-pneumatic back filling (with sand), came up again and again.

In this method the efficacy of sand stowing through boreholes from surface to stabilize suspect subsidence prone areas was discussed in detail. The committee could conclude that as there are no scientific prediction methodologies available to check long-term stability, it may not be possible to certify that the areas thus stabilized can stand unaffected for a long time. The sand stowed by this method will however certainly lessen the risk of subsidence and may allow some time by which permanent measures like evacuation/rehabilitation of the area can be undertaken. However all the areas/locations identified for stabilization must be considered for rehabilitation at the earliest”

Finally the Ministry of Coal, Govt. of India vide its letter no. 22020/2/2005-CRC dt.15.12.05 directed for preparation of revised PIB note with the following consideration:

  • All the areas where stabilisation through hydraulic stowing was proposed now have to be considered for total re-settlement.
  • It is being suggested that instead of shifting the affected people from the endangered areas in a number of small townships, it would be prudent to develop large satellite townships through the reputed builders/building organizations providing necessary civic amenities to motivate the people for shifting.

With this consideration in mind, CMPDIL, RI-1,Asansol prepared a Master Plan in August, 2006 which was updated in April, 2008. Finally the Govt. of India approved the same in August, 2009. As per this revised Plan inhabitants of all the 139 unsafe subsidence-prone locations falling in Raniganj Coal Field Area (RCFA) will have to be rehabilitated in a few satellite townships to be developed in the non-coal bearing stratum as per the Master Plan.

Now for the implementation of this Master Plan and for giving resettlement to all the residents of 139 declared unstable locations, demographic survey of the affected sites, identification of the Project Affected Families, valuation of the structures and the land for assessing the amount of compensation payable, verification of land records of the PAF are required to be done.

  1. Necessity of Land Acquisition:

For setting up of two large satellite townships at Bonjemari and Gourandi to give settlement to the population to be evacuated from the unstable locations scattered across the entire Raniganj Coal Fields Area, acquisition of land at those areas is extremely essential as there is no land of ECL or Government land. The land earmarked for Bonjemari and Gourandi for construction of satellite townships for rehabilitation of the people residing in subsidence prone area belongs to private individuals i.e. rayati. So the acquisition of land is felt necessary for such purpose. To avoid serious casualties and damage of properties due to sudden collapse of landmass and outbreak of fire it is highly imperative to commence the rehabilitation process as soon as possible and such work can only be started once the townships are built up for giving resettlement. So, acquisition of land at the two above mentioned sites as per the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 is the basic requirement for commencement of the work.

To protect the life and property of the people residing in unstable locations in RCFA is a Constitutional obligation of the State and the requirement of land under this project arises for execution of a scheme sanctioned by the President of India. Therefore, the acquisition of land proposed to be made under this scheme is entirely for the Public Purpose as per Section 3f (v) of the Act-I of 1894.

  1. Requiring Body:

For the implementation of the Rehabilitation Project in RCFA sanctioned by the Govt. of India, ADDA has been selected as the implementing agency on behalf of Government of West Bengal. As such ADDA will be the Requiring Body in relation to this acquisition of land.

The cost of acquisition of land and payment of compensation will be done by ADDA out the funds of the Rehabilitation Project to be received from the Govt. of India through ECL.

  1. Total area proposed to be acquisitioned with justification:

Under the approved Master Plan for Raniganj Coal Field Area it is indicated that total no of 33196 families consisting of a populations size of 180263 is required to be rehabilitated. The figure as shown therein is merely indicative and based on certain assumptions. This figure is likely to increase during the conduct of ground survey, if the rate of population growth and in-migrations in the Asansol- Durgapur industrial belt over the past few years is kept in mind.

The indicative requirement of land at resettlement site has been shown as 2214 acres in the approved Master Plan which is based on the assumption of existence of 33196 house holds residing in the unstable locations. But the anticipated increase in the number of families to be rehabilitated as stated in the preceding para may result in augmentation of the requirement of land at resettlement site. Moreover considerable quantum of land needs to be left out for various other reasons such as roughness of terrain, existence of green fields etc. at the time of township construction. This apart, requirement of land in resettlement sites can go up due to demand for excess land by the Project Affected People, whose provision is there also in the approved R & R Package. So, there is the need for acquisition of some amount of excess land.

Considering all these aspects and after completion of field survey in the locality the following quantum of land is found to be suitable as part of the total project for the purpose and proposed to be acquisitioned -

For BonjemariTownship- 1300 acres

For GourandiTownship- 2300 acres.

  1. Action Taken and Present Status:

A. Regarding Land Acquisition for the proposed rehabilitation site:

  1. For the purpose of setting up of two townships at Bonjemari and Gourangdih for providing resettlement to the people to be evicted from the unstable sites in RCFA, preliminary ground survey was conducted, plots proposed to be acquisitioned were identified & key maps were prepared. Thereafter a proposal for acquisition of land to the tune of 1300acres in Bonjemari & 2300 acres in Gourangdih was submitted to the Commerce & Industries Dept. of Govt. of W.B. on 04-06-2010 for according Cabinet Approval. Cabinet has accorded approval for this acquisition of land on 18-08-10.
  1. In the meantime, LA proposals in respect of Bonjemari site have been prepared & kept ready at our end.
  1. One LA proposal of Mouza Ramchandrapur in Bonjemari site has been submitted to the Collector, Burdwan on 11th October ’2010. Total area of land in the said proposal is 23.55 acre. Another LA Case of Mouza Kaladabar having area of 46.22 acres is waiting for dispatch to LA Collector, Burdwan. Other proposals are also ready at this end but we are facing difficulty in submitting those proposals for want of sufficient amount of fund.
  1. Requirement of fund for the proposed acquisition process was assessed considering the prevailing market value of land at those places and sent to ECL Authorities for placing the same to ADDA. Several communications were sent to ECL Authorities for placing of requisite fund for acquisition purpose thereafter. But unfortunately no fund has been received till date.

B. Regarding engagement of Agency for conducting Demographic Survey:

  1. ADDA has engaged an agency of national repute viz. Xavier Institute of Social Services, Ranchi for the purpose of conducting demographic survey & valuation in all the identified unstable locations in RCFA, following due procedure of open bidding for such selection of Agency and appointment.
  2. Work order was issued to them for taking up of the work in 7 locations initially on 02/09/10. Thereafter a sensitization cum awareness generation program for Samdih, Kenda and Sanctoria areas were conducted by the District Administration, ADDA, ECL authorities & CMPDIL jointly on 15/09/10, 22/11/10 and 28/01/11 respectively where the residents of the affected areas and the local representatives were present. These meetings were held with a view to facilitate the survey process and to ensure that the investigators/surveyors can collect the required data without any hindrance.
  3. Thereafter XISS has taken up the survey work and has completed the same in two unstable locations, i.e. Samdih of P.S. - Salanpur and Kenda of P.S. - Jamuria. At present they are working at Sanctoria of P.S. – Kulti. Total household surveyed at Samdih – 132 and at Kenda – 1533 & Sanctoria – 1400. (except valuation of houses)
  4. So far as the Survey of XISS, Ranchi engaged for demographic survey in the subsidence prone areas of RCFA is concerned, it appears from the progress of the work that above noted agency will not be able to complete the work before December, 2011. So, to speed up the work XISS has been instructed to engage more investigators and valuers in such a manner so that the work may be completed within December, 2011. Alternatively the engagement of more agencies for completing this work has been approved in the H.P.C.C held on 15.02.2011.
  5. Regarding allotment of fund for Demographic Survey work, an amount of Rs. 93.214 lakh has been sanctioned as per Master Plan dealing with Fire, Subsidence & Rehabilitation in Raniganj Coal Field area. But no fund has yet been allotted to ADDA for smooth conducting the Demographic Survey and Valuation. The above noted amount is urgently required.

Chief Executive Officer

Asansol Durgapur Development Authority