Soil caves in at Talcher causing panic

 Angul: Panic has spread among residents after a deep, well-like hole formed in an agricultural field of Handidhua, a site of previous underground coal mining.

The people of Handidhua in Talcher were startled on Wednesday evening by a massive explosion-like sound emanating from the agricultural field. They rushed to the spot and discovered a large hole 15 feet wide and 10 feet deep. Panicked, they alerted Mahanadi Coalfields Limited’s Talcher authorities and local administration, who arrived and barricaded the subsidence area to ensure safety.

According to the locals, coal was extracted from an underground mine, leaving a void beneath the surface. Despite the provision of sand filling, the authorities failed to execute it properly.

Land subsidence in Talcher’s former underground mining areas is a recurring issue. In the past, localities within the Talcher urban area -- ITI Chhack,Telisahi and Baghuabol -- experienced land subsidences.

Expressing concern over land subsidence, the former municipal chairman of Talcher said the town area is now unsafe, citing underground coal extraction years ago and its location in a seismic zone. The underground sand backfill is inadequate. He urged the State government and the MCL to take effective measures for sand filling.

The MCL General Manager, Safety, Sunil Sharma, denied that the incident was a case of subsidence, adding that an official team is assessing the situation and an inquiry will follow their report. When asked for comment, Talcher Sub-Collector Samir Jena said an inquiry will be conducted into the earth subsidence.