Zee News cited Mr PS Bhattacharya chairman of Coal India as saying that residents of Kenduadih area of Dhanbad should be rehabilitated at the earliest before situation of the underground fire there worsened further.

Mr Bhattacharya said Kenduadih is spread over 627 hectare and is one of the areas in Jharia township facing serious underground fire problem. A mishap can take place any time.

Mr Bhattacharya told reporters in the presence of Mr Prakash Jaiswal union coal minister that Bharat Cooking Coal Limited has already offered the state its Dhuli township where the 5000 families, not any way related to BCCL, residing at Kenduadih can be shifted to.

He aid BCCL employees, who reside at Dhuli would be accommodated elsewhere if the state agreed to the proposal, adding that the state government would get a ready made township before the final master plan is materialized.

He said "This has figured during the meeting between our coal minister and the governor today. The governor asked Mr AK Basu the chief secretary to take up and initiate the issue."

Mr Bhattacharya further added that a survey team had found just 1mx1m coal seam as against 20mx20m, indicating the gravity with which the underground fire is burning the coal.

(Sourced from zeenews.com)