Landslide in industrial area, locals panic

Jyoti Prakash Mukherjee:- Landslides are frequently reported in the Asansol-Durgapur industrial area. As a result, cracks are seen in residential houses, and large holes are created on the National Highway due to landslides. Water accumulation in the holes creates a dangerous situation. Drivers are forced to drive in panic. Accidents are occasionally reported. Due to cracks in their houses, households leave their homes in search of safe shelter. These landslides occur more frequently during the rainy season. As a result, the problems of the common people increase. Upon receiving news of holes in the road or cracks in houses due to landslides, the authorities come and observe, assure that necessary measures will be taken immediately, and leave. But the same incident repeats itself. According to informed sources, there is huge corruption behind these landslides and it has been going on for a long time. There are many coal mines in the industrial area. The empty space in the earth after the underground coal is extracted are usually filled with sand. The story of corruption starts from here. Allegedly, much less sand is used to fill the holes than the amount of sand required to fill the holes. The matter is not properly understood from above. But when rainwater falls, the sand settles and goes down, and then a gap is created at the top. Later, landslides occur there. Since the pressure on the national highway is high, holes are created there, cracks are seen in houses. Compared to the last few years, the amount of rain this year is much higher, so landslides are occurring more. Locals allege that a group of mining officials in the area are involved in the corruption of sand filling with contractors. The companies that are given the responsibility of filling the sand are mainly given less sand with their patronage. As a result, the profit that is made is shared among themselves. The common people are in trouble. The way corruption is going on around sand filling, it is feared that the near future all the industrial areas will be destroyed due to landslides. The locals demand that in order to protect the industrial area from landslides, a committee with experts should be formed immediately and the areas where the underground spaces have been left empty due to underground coal mining should be properly filled. In addition, a CID investigation should be started against the officials and contractors involved in this incident. There is no other way to protect the industrial area. The locals are waiting to see if the authorities will take appropriate measures considering the safety of everyone.