Living on an inferno: The burning coalfields of Jharia

A visual telling of the story of Jharia’s burning coalfields.

What does it feel like living beside a coalfield ablaze for more than a century? To inhale its noxious fumes but refuse to leave, since the coal is your only source of income?

Jharia’s coal mines are infamous for the slow simmering fires burning in the large open cast mines for over a century, spewing out toxic pollutants. Some of the largest mines are owned by Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), a subsidiary of the government-owned mining behemoth, Coal India.

A glimpse into the life of Jharia’s residents.