This January 1 held a special significance for the residents of Jharia apart from being the first day of a brand new year.
Hundred years ago on this day in 1916, the underground raging fire was first spotted in Jharia coalfield region, a discovery that went on to change the lives of local residents.
Marking the occasion on Friday, Jharia residents took a pledge to protect the environment and use more of solar energy so that the coal lying beneath their soil can last longer.
The event, organised under the banner of social outfit Institution of National Amity at the grounds of Peace and Joy School, also saw a group of over 100 people, including school students, teachers, social workers, scribes and politicians, taking the annual New Year resolution. The oath, inscribed on a New Year card designed by founder of Institution of National Amity Pinaki Roy, was taken to rise above caste, creed, religion and political affiliation to work for development of the nation.
A general discussion on the significance of the coal fire and its impact on the lives of more than 20 lakh residents of Jharia was also held during which old-timers like septuagenarian journalist of Jharia Bankhandi Mishra, who saw the fire from a very early stage, and acting president of Jharia Coalfield Bachao Samiti Ashok Agarwal, also 70, narrated their experiences.
Speaking about the oath that is taken every year since 1999, Roy, an alumnus of Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan (Bengal), said: "Every year, we take this pledge. This year, we just added a paragraph to contain pollution and use solar power. The resolution to use solar power was inclusive of aspirations of Jharia residents to minimise use of coal so that the black diamond lying beneath their motherland can last longer."
As for the New Year card, Roy, a private tutor, said the cover was themed on coal fire and had two slogans, "We Love - Our Smouldering Motherland Jharia" and "100 years of Coal Seam Fire".
Mishra, the former editor of a local vernacular daily, described coal as a way of life for Jharia residents as many of them grew up inhaling the smoke and fumes coming out of the fire-affected areas and went on to build their careers in fields like civil services, engineering, medicine, politics, judiciary and journalism.
Agarwal pointed out that the fire might be a cause of concern for policy-makers in view of monetary losses caused to the nation due to burning of coal and also environmental activists because of pollution, but for lakhs of people living on the burning earth for several generations, it was an integral part of their life.
Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Kumar and former Dhanbad MLA Mannan Mallick were also present.
