Woman falls into subsidence hole in Jharkhand, rescued

Over 500 families live in underground fire-affected Rajput Basti, the land of which belongs to the PB Colliery of BCCL.Local people claimed five subsidence incidents have occurred in the Rajput Basti since Wednesday due to heavy rains.

A woman fell into a large hole suddenly caused by subsidence just outside her house in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand on Thursday. She was rescued by her son and neighbours, police said.

A neem tree also fell into the hole at Rajput Basti under Kenduadih police station, where underground fire and cave-ins occur frequently. It has been declared a dangerous area.

The woman identified as Asha Devi was working outside her house when all of a sudden the surface subsided and a huge bowl-shaped hole, around 15 to 20 feet deep, was formed, Kenduadih police station officer in-charge Binod Oraon said. Asha Devi and the neem tree went inside the hole. Her son Anand Singh jumped into it after seeing mother going down. Local people rushed in and rescued the two from the hole with the help of rope and ladder. Oraon said she was admitted to the Central Hospital of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) with a broken hand and head injury. Over 500 families live in underground fire-affected Rajput Basti, the land of which belongs to the PB Colliery of BCCL.

Local people claimed five subsidence incidents have occurred in the Rajput Basti since Wednesday due to heavy rains. The poultry farm of one person was lost in the subsidence. Around 300 hens died in the incident, they said.

PB Colliery general manager PK Mishra reached the Basti after the incident and requested the residents to shift to quarters of BCCL. The residents did not allow the BCCL management to fill up the hole demanding proper quarters and compensation.

The BCCL management has served notices to residents to shift at safer places several times in the past.

Local people said they would move from the Basti only after BCCL gives them land, job and compensation.

“BCCL offers the quarters left by retired employees. Those are in dilapidated condition and no family can live there,” claimed a resident.