Fresh land subsidence in Katras sparks panic

{ DHANBAD LOCALS RENEW REHAB DEMANDS

- Praduman Choubey

A massive crater, 20 feet wide and over 30 feet deep, formed late Thursday night in Munda Basti under the Keshalpur area of Katras, reigniting fears of land subsidence in Dhanbad’s coal belt, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.

The development came just a day after a similar subsidence incident damaged a house in the Ghanudih locality of Jharia.

The sudden cave-in, located near Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL)'s Area 4, sent shockwaves through the densely populated neighbourhood, already grappling with the dual threats of underground fire and blasting activities. Residents blamed heavy blasting by Ambe Outsourcing Company—operating under BCCL—for triggering the subsidence, especially amid the ongoing monsoon.

“We are living under the constant threat of being buried alive,” said Mahesh Yadav, a resident of Munda Basti.

“Subsidence is now a recurring threat during every monsoon, which weakens already fragile ground conditions, and neither the administration nor the police has taken any concrete action.”

Giridih MP Chandraprakash Chowdhury rushed to the site on Friday and met the affected families. Strongly criticising the BCCL, the AJSU Party MP accused the management of ignoring longstanding warnings and failing to ensure the safety of people residing in danger-prone areas.