SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, July 12: The Jharia Rehabilitation and Development Authority (JRDA) will again verify the land title holder (LTH) and non-land title holder (non-LTH) families living in the fire zone areas of Jharia.
Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner (DC) cum JRDA Managing Director Sandip Singh has in this regard ordered to constitute a team comprising Jharia circle officer, concerned fire area Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), JRDA and BCCL headquarters officers to again verify the land owners (LTH) and unauthorised residents of the fire zone.
As per a 2019 survey conducted by different agencies by the JRDA, over 1.4 lakh families were identified living in the fire zone area, among them 72,882 were non-land owners (unauthorised residents) and 32,046 real land owners.
Since every year survey numbers of legal and non-legal residents of fire zone are increasing for rehabilitation as well as compensation, the DC has directed to verify the real residents for speedy shifting to safe places from the most devastated areas.
While chairing the JRDA meeting, DC Sandip Singh reviewed the situation of fire in Jharia coalfield and directed the concerned officers to assess high-risk fire zone so that on a priority basis residents could be shifted.
Union coal minister Pralhad Joshi is scheduled to visit Jharia coalfield on July 14 to assess the status of the fire area and the rehabilitation of residents to a safe place.
The Union Coal Minister was scheduled to visit today (July 12) but at the last moment, his visit got postponed for two days.
