Cracks appear in houses, roads in Assam’s Ledo amid coal dumping allegations

Several houses and roads in Jharna Basti in Assam's Ledo have developed cracks, with residents alleging that coal dumping by the Northeastern Coalfields (NEC), Coal India Limited, in Margherita is responsible for the damage.

Residents said cracks began appearing in houses in the area from September 25 and claimed that more than 70 houses have been affected.

Dil Bahadur Chetry (Munna), a resident of Jharna Basti, said his family and other residents had been living in the area for around eight decades, but the situation had changed following alleged coal dumping in the vicinity.

"More than 70 houses have developed cracks because of the coal dumping," Chetry alleged.

He also claimed that a waterfall that previously existed in Jharna Basti had been blocked, affecting the natural flow of underground water.

According to Chetry, the altered water flow could be contributing to the cracks appearing in houses in the area.

The residents have urged the Margherita Co-District Commissioner, Margherita Circle Office, local MLA Bhaskar Sharma, the Assam Geology and Mining Department and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to intervene and conduct an immediate survey of the affected area.

Chetry said authorities should not delay the survey as the cracks have raised concerns among residents about the safety of their homes and surrounding roads.

India Today NE attempted to contact officials of NEC, Coal India Limited, Margherita, for their response to the allegations. Their response was not available at the time of publication.

The cause of the structural damage has not been independently established, and an official assessment would be required to determine whether coal dumping or changes in the area's drainage and geology contributed to the cracks.