Dhanbad: The public investment bureau (PIB) has shown the green light to a Rs 6,997-crore Jharia rehabilitation package and it is just a matter of time before the Union Cabinet puts its stamp of approval. But the million dollar question is who will convince some 400,000 residents to evacuate the danger zone, where an underground fire has been raging for more than 90 years?

ARUN KUMAR THAKUR

Ranchi, Sept. 10: Illegal mining is a symbol of hunger

SHASHANK SHEKHAR

Rescue team members and BCCL officials outside the Godhar mines near Dhanbad on Monday. Picture by Gautam Dey

Dhanbad, Sept. 8: A fire broke out late last evening at Kusunda colliery, about 9km from Dhanbad, forcing 400 families to be evacuated from near the open-cast mine belonging to Bharat Coking Coal Limited.

Senior BCCL officials at the spot said it would take at least four to five days to douse the raging flames hardly 500km from the busy NH-32 that connects the coal belt town to Bokaro.

ARUN KUMAR THAKUR

Union minister of state for coal Santosh Bagrodia (centre) at a news meet in Ranchi on Sunday. Picture by Hardeep Singh
Ranchi, Aug. 31: The Union minister of state for coal Santosh Bagrodia today remained non-committal on a deadline for wage revision of coal executives and employees.

Newswire18 / Kochi August 25, 2008, 3:59 IST

The National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) is planning to launch futures trading in thermal coal by September 10, the exchange's Chief Business Officer Unopam Kausik said on Saturday.

Initially, the exchange plans to introduce a contract lot size of 100 tonnes and the trading centre will be in Nagpur, Maharashtra, he said.

Delivery will be made in Surat, in Gujarat, and a couple of more locations in the western region, he said.

Yet power sector does not have prescribed coal stock: Junior coal minister

New Delhi, August 12: Maintaining that public sector behemoth Coal India Limited (CIL) has been supplying coal adequately to state-run thermal power units and the power sector crying foul on coal shortage was uncalled for, the coal ministry today decided to take up the issue of reported paucity of coal with the power ministry. The coal ministry will also seek a directive to NTPC to plant its requirements in advance and spell out the same wellin time.