Ramgarh | Dec 12, 2017: In a survey conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Ramgarh has been dubbed as the most backward in terms of public amenities, health, education, drinking water and sanitation and livelihood.
CSE, the Delhi-based non-profit organisation, made the revelation after a survey in 50 mining districts of 11 states including Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
After analysing the ground reality at the mining-affected areas of the district, the CSE officials said Ramgarh is facing acute shortage of fresh and purified drinking water, proper sanitation, public health and education.
A day-long seminar was organised by the CSE in Ramgarh on Sunday which was attended by representatives of mining-affected panchayats, civil society and other dignitaries.
While releasing the survey report on Ramgarh, programme manager of CSE Snestha Banerjee said Jharkhand is one of the top mining states in terms of District Mineral Foundation (DMF) accrual.
Banerjee said: "As per latest estimates, more than Rs 2,100 crore has been collected under DMF in the state and Ramgarh is one of the top coal mining districts of the state and has collected more than Rs 270 crore. But amenities like public health, education, drinking water, agriculture and other areas in the mining-affected blocks of the district is lagging behind other mining districts of the state."
The CSE report is based on the assessment of official district data as well as a month-long ground survey for which discussions were held with various people in the mining-affected areas, said an official of CSE.
(Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)