Rights Group Demands Probe into Ground Cracks in Ledo’s Jharna Basti

Guwahati: The Tinsukia District Committee of the International Human Rights Council wants a scientific probe into mysterious ground cracks spreading across Jharna Basti. The area sits within the Margherita Assembly constituency, a region heavily pockmarked by coal mining operations. Residents fear for their property. Anxiety runs high in the settlement.

The IHRC demanded an independent technical investigation to identify if mining activity triggered the ground movement. The group insists the administration must prioritize human safety over industrial interests. L Ratan Singh, the IHRC Tinsukia district general secretary, noted, "The safety of residents should be the priority."

Authorities need to conduct immediate geological and environmental surveys of these vulnerable residential zones. If the land remains unstable, officials must relocate families to safer ground. The rights body also requested a public hearing where locals can voice their grievances directly to mining authorities and government officials.

Current claims linking the damage to local coal pits remain unverified. The IHRC argued the administration must act now to prevent a catastrophe. If investigators prove that illegal or unsafe mining caused the damage, the group expects swift and corrective legal action.