Dhanbad, Dec 5: Two people have died due to a gas leak in Dhanbad’s Kenduadih area, triggering panic among local residents. People claim that gas trapped for years inside the abandoned underground colliery is now escaping to the surface.
Due to the gas leak, a large part of Kenduadih has been affected and authorities have appealed to all residents to vacate their homes and move to safer locations. Temporary shelters with tents have been set up, but locals say the arrangements are inadequate.
Officials fear the situation is not limited to Kenduadih alone, as other coal belt regions affected by underground fire may also face similar dangerous gas leaks.
The leak is believed to be coming from seam numbers 13 and 14 of the abandoned Kenduadih underground colliery, where gas emission has reportedly been occurring for the past two days. The impact has spread to nearby residential areas including Rajput Basti, Masjid Mohalla and Officers’ Colony. Continuous gas leakage has increased public distress, and people in the affected areas have expressed anger over the incident.
When the gas levels were tested on Wednesday, more than 50 ppm was recorded, which poses a direct threat to human life. The situation has alerted BCCL and JRDA, as the lack of timely rehabilitation work in underground fire zones could lead to similar crises in the future.
The central government’s revised master plan includes a proposal for the safe relocation of nearly 16,000 families from 81 highly sensitive areas, but the process is still underway.
Officials stress the need to build public trust and begin rehabilitation work on priority before the situation worsens further.
