Bhurkunda: Residents demand action against polluting coal railway siding

Mail News Service

Ranchi, June 16 : A group of around a dozen youths from Bhurkunda and Bhadani Nagar approached the government residence of Saryu Roy in Ranchi this morning, highlighting the ongoing pollution caused by a coal railway siding at Bhurkunda railway station. Responding to their request, Saryu Roy, accompanied by the locals, visited the railway siding at Bhurkunda Railway Station at 4 pm today. The scene that unfolded left him astonished, as it revealed the apparent disregard shown by the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board in granting permission for the establishment and operation of this railway siding. Both railway officials and officials from Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) share the blame for this situation.

The Bhurkunda railway station itself has become a hub for coal transportation, leading to coal dust settling all over the station platform. What appears to be more than just a railway siding resembles a massive coal stock yard, with towering coal mounds reaching heights of 60-70 feet. Due to the heat, the coal reserves have caught fire, emitting continuous smoke and flames. Moreover, the coal-laden highway adjacent to the station remains uncovered. Residents from approximately 20 nearby villages gathered at the site, expressing their concerns.

According to locals, the railway siding has been established in the midst of a population of about sixty thousand people, and the excessive dust in the area makes it difficult to breathe. Many individuals have been forced to abandon their homes, while women have expressed the hardship of sleeping on their rooftops. Water stored in buckets is tainted by a layer of black dust, and coal dust enters their respiratory systems through the nose and mouth during washing. The coal dust settling on fields has resulted in agricultural damage, affecting the growth of vegetables and even causing fields to catch fire. Overall, the presence of coal has made life unbearable for the population residing near the railway siding, resulting in various health issues including respiratory, back, and heart diseases caused by pollution.

Saryu Roy, deeply moved by the distressing scene, criticized the railway officials, CCL officials, the district administration, and the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board, holding them responsible for the villagers’ suffering. He accused them of subjecting the villagers to a slow poison, asserting that they are complicit in their deaths. The immense size of the coal stockpile at the Bhurkunda railway siding surpasses what is typically seen in coal mines. Local residents revealed that coal mixing with the shadow of nearby industries and the presence of black money further exacerbate the situation. Whenever the villagers raise their voices against this injustice, they are met with legal notices from the police station and the Railway Government Railway Police (GRP), forcing them to sit at the police station. Railway officials even threaten to demolish their huts. The villagers find themselves oppressed by both the government’s rule and the pollution caused by coal.

Saryu Roy has submitted multiple memorandums to the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of Ramgarh, seeking their attention and action. Unfortunately, no response or measures have been taken thus far. It is evident that the establishment of the railway siding blatantly violates the orders of the State Pollution Control Board. Saryu Roy has demanded immediate closure of the railway siding at Bhurkunda railway station. He has called for strict action against those responsible for granting permission and operating the siding. Furthermore, he has urged the government to register a case against CCL and Railway officials, while seeking an explanation from the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of Ramgarh district as to why no action has been taken against them for this inhumane act.