Panel to be set up to monitor revised ₹5,940 cr Jharia fire plan

A committee will be set up to monitor the progress of implementation of Rs 5,940-crore revised master plan to deal with Jharia coalfield fire in Jharkhand and rehabilitation of affected families.

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

Coal Secretary Vikram Dev Dutt has written a letter to the Jharkhand government in this regard.

“A monitoring committee under the co-chairmanship of the Secretary (Coal) and the Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand is to be constituted by the Government of Jharkhand which would then meet on a regular basis to monitor the progress of implementation of the revised JMP (Jharia Master Plan),” the letter read.

It further said that immediate priority is the strengthening of the Jharia Rehabilitation and Development Authority (JRDA).

The JMP for dealing with fire, subsidence and rehabilitation in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district was approved by the Centre in August 2009, with an implementation period of 10 years and a pre-implementation period of two years with an estimated investment of Rs 7,112.11 crore.

The plan expired in 2021.