Coal mining affected due to torrential rain in Jharkhand

Coal mining has been badly affected in Jharkhand due to torrential rain, said an official Friday.

Rainwater entered mine areas forcing the coal companies to stop mining.

'Coal production has been reduced to 50 percent due to rains. The rain water gushed into open cast mines and flooded the road leading to it,' said R.K. Saha, technical director of Central Coalfield Limited (CCL).

CCL produces around 100,000 tonnes of coal everyday. Due to rains, the production has been reduced to half.

As a precautionary measure, the CCL management ordered stopping of mining in the underground mines.

There are over five mines of CCL located adjacent to various rivers. The water levels of major rivers of Jharkhand are rising and three rivers - Swarnarekha, Damodar and Khakai - are flowing above the danger level.

According to CCL officials, mines in Rajarappa, Barkasayal, Argada and other areas have been affected. Rajarappa colliery area recorded rainfall of 120 mm in the past three days. Similarly, Barkasayal has received 170 mm rainfall.

Bharat Coking Coalfield Limited (BCCL) mines, too, have been affected due to the incessant rainfall.

'Mining has been affected due to the rains,' said K.B. Srivastav, BCCL public relations officer.

A BCCL official said coal mining has come to a halt in Muraidih and Shatabdi coal projects.

In the Shatabdi project, water has entered the mine area forcing officials to stop mining. Production has come down to 20 to 30 percent in BCCL, an official source said.

The dispatch of coal has also been affected due to the rains.

The railway tracks are submerged at many places in Orissa, West Bengal and some parts of Jharkhand. This has affected movement of goods trains, said an official of BCCL.