Jamshedpur: The Basti Bachao Sangharsh Samiti on Friday launched an agitation against rising dust pollution, traffic congestion, road accidents, illegal parking, and a growing fear of demolition among residents in the Burmamines area.
The organization formally launched the stir by offering floral tributes at the statue of J.N. Tata in Bistupur. The committee announced that on December 14, a protest will be held in front of both gates of Tata Steel in Burmamines to highlight these issues.
According to the committee, for the past one to one-and-a-half years, Tata Steel has been carrying out continuous barricading along the roadside in Burmamines, causing the road to become extremely narrow. This has led to frequent traffic jams, severely impacting Tata Steel employees, ambulances carrying patients, schoolchildren, and passengers travelling to the railway station. The committee stressed that road widening is urgently needed to prevent any major mishap.
The slag dumping point near the Burmamines market is also posing a serious health hazard to local residents. Even pedestrians find it difficult to escape the dust pollution while passing through the area. The committee also alleged that trucks belonging to Nuvoco Cement Company are routinely parked illegally inside the Punj Company premises in Burmamines, where parking fees are allegedly collected unlawfully. This results in persistent traffic snarls, causing inconvenience to the public.
Adding to the concerns, some individuals associated with JUSCO have allegedly been issuing repeated threats of demolition of local settlements, creating fear and anxiety among residents. Several key access routes to the settlement area have also been blocked, increasing insecurity and tension in the community.
Taking a collective stand on these issues, residents of Burmamines, under the banner of the Basti Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, have announced a peaceful one-day sit-in protest to press for their demands.
