Fresh land subsidence triggers panic in Dhanbad’s Tandabadi

Dhanbad: Panic gripped residents of Karmakar Tola at Tandabadi village in the district after another land subsidence occurred late on Thursday. The ground suddenly caved in nearly 15 feet with a loud noise behind a primary school, triggering fear among villagers.

Locals said cracks developed on the vacant plot and a concrete platform also sank into the earth following the incident. Around 150 people residing in Karmakar Tola and nearby Rajakothi are now living under constant fear due to repeated subsidence

Villagers protested on Friday, demanding safe rehabilitation and adequate compensation for their raiyat land and houses. Protesters raised slogans against the BCCL management, alleging negligence despite repeated incidents over the past two months. Residents said continuous land subsidence has posed a serious threat to life and property and urged authorities to conduct an immediate survey and shift affected families to safer locations.

An affected resident, Dinesh Bhuinya, said neither officials of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd nor the district administration visited the site till Friday, alleging only police reached the area to collect information. He warned villagers would launch an agitation if rehabilitation work was not expedited.

On March 31, several houses collapsed in the same locality, killing three people. Similar incidents were reported on April 20 and April 23, damaging multiple houses and roads. On April 27, cracks appeared in the school building and surrounding land, forcing authorities to shut down the institution.

Sources said BCCL’s survey department has identified nearly 182 affected families, including 43 raiyat families and 27 BCCL employees. Dhanbad deputy commissioner Aditya Ranjan said efforts are being made to speed up rehabilitation and all affected families would soon be shifted to safer places.