Munda demands Rs 5 lakh for those killed; holds BCCL responsible

Dhanbad, Mar 16 (UNI) Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda today held the BCCL responsible for yesterday's incident in which ten people of two families were buried alive after land cave-in near the Kusunda coal mines.

Mr Munda, also the leader of Opposition, visited the accident site this morning to take stock of the situation.

Later, he told reporters the disaster could have been avoided hadf the BCCL taken precautionary measures beforehand.

Mr Munda, while demanding Rs 5 lakhs in compensation for the next of kin of the deceased besides employment to the affected, tried to bring home the point that the accident site was a fire zone of the company.

After digging out coal the BCCL was required to fill the vacuum with sand a point which they chose to ignore, he said.

Chief Minister Madhu Koda yesterday ordered a probe into the incident.

According to official sources, the government had been advising the people of that locality to shift to another site but they refused to do so. A fire zone was underneath the spot, the sources added.

UNI