Large area subsides in Jamuria, Residents living in fear
The Statesman | 13 July 2025
A major subsidence occurred in Jemari village under Raniganj in West Burdwan district. The affected area is barely 200 metres away from the railway line.
At around 5 a.m. yesterday, villagers heard loud cracking sounds. When they stepped out, they discovered that a section of the closed Chalbalpur Bakuthi Colliery in the Satgram area had subsided to a depth of around 70 to 80 feet.
The noise caused widespread panic among the locals. Around 50 families have been residing in the vicinity for a long time. “We are now living in fear and urge the ECL to take necessary action,” said Ramesh Mondal, a resident.
It is suspected that due to coal extraction, underground voids were not properly filled with sand through stowing. During the monsoon, the softened topsoil may have collapsed as a result.
The local MLA has yet to visit the site, and no official statements have been issued by either the ECL authorities or the district administration.
Local police and fire brigade officials have reached the spot. Sources said geology experts would be sent to the site to assess the situation. Approximately 100 square metres of land have been affected by the subsidence, with visible cracks appearing on the surface.
The Raniganj coalfield is the oldest in the country, with over 250 years of mining activity, and has long been plagued by subsidence and underground fires. No comprehensive maps of underground coal mining exist from before the nationalisation of coal mines in 1973.
The Supreme Court had ordered a rehabilitation and resettlement package for the Raniganj coalfields many years ago, but progress in relocation and stabilisation has been extremely slow. A few years ago, a section of NH-19 had also subsided near Kalipahari in Asansol.