RSP College, Jharia, which is facing subsidence threat because of the raging underground fire, may be shifted to safer places in a phased manner as it's difficult to accommodate all the students and faculties at a single place at one go.

A 12-member committee, headed by additional district magistrate (law and order) Rakesh Kumar Dubey, is exploring alternative sites, including the old building of Bhaga Mining College at Baniahir and BCCL's Jealgora Central Hospital.

The panel, which has Dhanbad SDO Rakesh Kumar and Jharia circle officer Kedar Nath Singh as members, is also weighing the possibility of shifting the college to a half-constructed and unused Primary Health Centre at Baniahir.

"The Jealgora hospital is a single-storey building with four large rooms. It won't be enough to accommodate the entire college having a student strength of over 5,000. It also has arts, science, commerce, BEd and vocational training faculties," Dubey said.

He said the old building of Bhaga Mining College had been lying vacant since 2013 when the college was shifted to Sindri. The single-storey building has seven rooms that can fit in many students and faculty members of RSP College.

"We will have to repair the building," Dubey, who is also the rehabilitation and resettlement-in-charge of Jharia Rehabilitation and Development Authority, said.

Kedar Nath Singh said in the first phase, the students and faculties of the old building of RSP College, which is more prone to subsidence, were likely to be moved to Jealgora Central Hospital. The old building houses the Arts and BEd faculties.

"A site for shifting the college has not been finalised, but we will have to obey the government order to ensure the safety of students," RSP College principal J.M. Lugun said.

On May 2, a team of district administration officials led by DC Anjaneyulu Dodde visited RSP College and conducted a recee of the alternative sites during which the Jealgora Central Hospital was finalised for temporary shifting.