A city-based organization, Koylanchan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, has issued a warning to the management of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), threatening a series of protests if the public sector undertaking fails to curb alleged coal theft in its operational areas.
Day-Long Dharna at Randhir Verma Chowk
On Tuesday, members of the outfit held a day-long demonstration at Randhir Verma Chowk in Dhanbad. The protesters alleged that coal pilferage is rampant in mines under BCCL's command areas and accused the PSU management of not taking effective measures to stop the illegal activity. They raised slogans against BCCL and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter, specifically targeting Chairman-cum-Managing Director Manoj Agrawal.
Memorandum Submitted to Governor
The agitators later submitted a memorandum to Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar through Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner Aditya Ranjan. Sabir Ali, one of the protesters, stated, "If coal theft cannot be controlled despite a strong security network, then a fair and impartial investigation into the entire matter becomes necessary."
BCCL Response
While the BCCL management did not officially respond to the allegations, a spokesperson for the PSU, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "Regular crackdowns are being conducted along with the district administration to curb coal theft, which is also a problem for the company and the state exchequer."
Koylanchan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti has vowed to intensify their protests if their demands are not met, potentially disrupting operations and drawing further attention to the issue of coal theft in the region.
