Jharia lies in India’s eastern state of Jharkhand and is India’s largest coal mining region supplying 67% of India’s electricity. For more than eighty years now fires have been burning underground on its coal fields, once lush with woodlands. The burning toxic gases released into the air are now bringing a higher cost to the worlds cheapest fuel, described as “hell one earth” by one security guard at the Rajapar Mining Project, the cost to our climate, and human life have long been visible.
600,ooo villagers and workers live in the area carrying large chunks of coal from morning to night. 60% of this population are sick as a result of the fumes and poisonous smoke, the air temperature is insufferable and the quality of the air so poor many people have developed health complications such as asthma, tuberculosis, constant headaches and impaired vision, eventually leading to blindness. The villagers are so poor that they continue to sacrifice their health for financial security, continuing to work the mines. Illegal coal pickers also continue to hunt for chunks of coal they can sell on the black market, all the while evading the coal mines security forces and avoiding fire induced landslides.
In 2009 the government approved a 97.7 billion rupee project. The project approved plans to relocate the residents of the Jharia coal fields and divert railway tracks and roads away from the mines. Moving the residents into new government built housing is perhaps too little too late. Many of the residents are demanding money and jobs, concerned that there is little or no employment in the new re-location areas. the project has also come under fire for its unrealistic time frame, given the lack of staff and budget.
But whilst the government and residents battle it out for to find an agreement we are no closer to a solution. The fires continue to burn and residents continue to live and work in horrendous conditions, will the industry ever step up and take responsible for the residents of the coal fields?
http://vimeo.com/39000168
You may be interested in reading more about the environment and India.
About the Author
