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Residents demand revival of Jharia Coalfield Bachao Samiti
The meeting was chaired by veteran trade union leader and founder member of JCBS Shiv Balak Paswan. The proceedings were conducted by Anil Kumar Jain while Mahesh Sharma delivered the vote of thanks.
A citizens’ awareness meeting focusing on the future of Jharia and the revival of the Jharia Coalfield Bachao Samiti (JCBS) was held at the Agarwal Dharamshala premises in Jharia on Sunday. The meeting was organised under the theme “Jharia ko uska haq de do” (Give Jharia its due) and saw participation of local residents, activists and social workers.
The meeting was chaired by veteran trade union leader and founder member of JCBS Shiv Balak Paswan. The proceedings were conducted by Anil Kumar Jain while Mahesh Sharma delivered the vote of thanks.
Addressing the gathering, Paswan stressed the need for unity among residents to safeguard Jharia’s interests. “Jharia has given coal and revenue to the country for decades, yet basic civic facilities remain inadequate. The people of Jharia must unite and raise their voice so that the region gets its rightful share of development,” he said.
Environmental activist and speech therapist Akhalaque Ahmad emphasised the need to revive the Jharia Coalfield Bachao Samiti. “JCBS once played a crucial role in bringing the Jharia fire issue to the national level. Reviving and strengthening this platform is essential to protect the rights of local residents and ensure accountability of agencies working in the coalfield area,” he said.
Dr Manoj Singh, founder of Green Life and a physiotherapist, highlighted the growing environmental concerns in the coal belt. “Increasing greenery and community participation are vital to fight the rising pollution levels in Jharia. Environmental protection must become a people’s movement,” he said.
Participants also raised several civic issues affecting the region. Residents expressed concern over irregular water supply and discrepancies in water bills, urging the municipal corporation to organise open camps in different localities to resolve billing problems. Strong resentment was also voiced over erratic electricity supply, with residents claiming that Jharia faces power cuts of 8–10 hours daily.
Speakers also alleged that irregularities in the functioning of outsourcing companies have worsened the condition of the region and demanded greater transparency in development activities.
The meeting unanimously resolved to revive the Jharia Coalfield Bachao Samiti and conduct elections for the body at the earliest. It was also decided to organise a padyatra to expand the committee and hold further meetings to discuss local issues with public representatives including the mayor and the MLA.
JCBS was constituted in 2001 under the leadership of former Central Mining Research Institute director Late T.N. Singh. The organisation had earlier played a significant role in highlighting the Jharia coalfield fire issue and pursuing legal action that eventually led to the formulation of the Jharia Action Plan for rehabilitation and fire control.
