Dhanbad: Coal India Limited (CIL) subsidiary Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) will drill boreholes in Rajput Basti in Kenduadih to inject nitrogen gas and other chemicals to neutralise the toxic nature of fumes which are emanating from the underground.
BCCL officials on Sunday said Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI), the Ranchi-based CIL arm, to carry out the process. “CMPDI will conduct a detailed scientific assessment to identify the exact nature of gases leaking from underground, including the presence of carbon monoxide and other hazardous gases. Based on the findings of this report, borehole operations will be carried out in the identified locations,” BCCL chairman cum managing director Manoj Kumar Agarwal said.
Agarwal said all affected zones in and around Kenduadih were mapped and demarcated, and preventive as well as corrective measures are being planned accordingly. The PSU has roped in expert institutions such as Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR) and IIT-Dhanbad to study the toxic gas leaks. The institutes are likely to submit their reports by Tuesday, based on which further action will be taken.
In addition, the Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL) was assigned the task of enquiring into the present status of the gas leak and assessing underground conditions.
The crisis began a fortnight ago and has since taken a serious turn. Two women reportedly lost their lives due to the toxic gas exposure, while more than a dozen people have been affected so far and are undergoing treatment.
Temporary relief camps have been set up for displaced residents, and medical teams are monitoring the health condition of those exposed to the gas. On Saturday, a high-level team of the Jharkhand govt visited the affected areas in Dhanbad.
