DHANBAD, JHARKHAND: As Dhanbad heads to the Jharkhand polls in just 48 hours, coal mine workers, street vendors, and residents in Dhanbadโs coal-rich constituency Jharia are voicing their grievances, with many expressing frustration towards Chief Minister Hemant Sorenโs government. The people of Jharia, who have long lived in hazardous conditions amid coal mine fires, and frequent land subsidence in addition to several pressing issues like lack of drinking water, demand urgent attention from their future representative.
In the 2019 Jharia election, INCโs Purnima Niraj Singh won with 79,786 votes, defeating BJPโs Ragini Singh, who received 67,732 votes. In 2024, both are set to compete again for the Jharia seat. For residents in Lodna, Jharia, and nearby areas, daily life is tough. Water scarcity has remained a persistent problem for the last 20-30 years, with both the absence of groundwater and inadequate supply adding to the challenges of basic survival.
โWe donโt even have proper drainage near our homes,โ said Anil Ram, a local mine worker, adding, โWe need someone who truly cares to fix these fundamental issues.โ These conditions have left many residents, especially those in mining jobs, feeling neglected and frustrated.
Young coal miners, working for private companies on wages as low as โน6,000-7,000 per month, report a lack of job security and health benefits. โWeโre risking our lives for this work, yet our wages barely cover basic needs,โ said Sanjay, a young miner.
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Permila Devi echoed her concerns, adding that government schemes aimed at improving womenโs lives are reaching only a few homes, leaving most women without any support. โOne or two families benefit, but what about the rest of us?โ asked Permila Devi, a mother and coal minerโs wife.
In the main market, street vendors highlight how development promises have yet to make a difference ahead of Jharkhand polls. โThereโs talk about displacement plans, but nothing concrete,โ said Rafiq Ansari, a vendor in Jharia, โWeโre left wondering if our voices will ever be heard.โ
Party workers, meanwhile, are working tirelessly to mobilise support for their candidates. Yet the people of Jharia are wary, demanding that this time, campaign promises translate into action. โWe wish that the promises made to us will be fulfilled after the elections,โ one voter remarked.
Jharia votes on November 20 in the second phase of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly elections, with results expected on November 23. The peopleโs hopes for real change, fair wages, and improved living conditions now rest on whoever wins the seat.
