New Delhi: The Government is aiming to control surface fire at 27 locations of 19 coal mines in Jharia, Jharkhand, by 2025-end, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

Some coal mines of Jharia in Jharkhand have been burning for many years due to unscientific mining prior to the nationalisation of coal mines, Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

As per the Jharia Master Plan approved in 2009, it was estimated that about 37 MT of good quality prime coking coal has been destroyed due to fire, the minister noted.

Coal India subsidiary Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) is periodically conducting surveys through National Remote Sensing Center (NRSC) Hyderabad for delineation of surface fire. As per the latest survey report done in the year 2020-21, the surface fire area has been reduced to 1.8 sq km spread over 27 locations, he said.

"Out of these 27 locations, fire at 16 locations is being dealt with by operating fire dealing projects through excavation and balance locations are being dealt with by blanketing. Surface fire at these locations are likely to be controlled by December 2025. These 27 locations fall under 19 coal mines," the minister said.

Last month, Joshi visited Jharia underground coal fire-hit areas in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district and assured affected residents of proper rehabilitation and monetary compensation.

According to a survey in 2019, around 1.4 lakh families live in the fire-hit zone of Jharia coal mines, of which 72,882 families are unauthorised and 32,064 have proper land documents.

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