BCCL eviction notices issued to residents of localities within a radius of 8km from the district headquarters in the last two days citing the threat of subsidence during monsoon has angered traders of the 150-year-old wholesale garment market of Karkend, who fear they will lose business that has already seen a downturn because the Covid pandemic.

Garment trader and secretary of Jharkhand Industries and Trade Association Umesh Heliwal said any disruption to the existing set-up would not only hamper business, but also hurt government revenues as garment traders paid huge sums by way of GST.

“Any disturbance to the market will adversely affect our business and hit revenues of the government,” he said, adding that the 150-year-old market was once the biggest wholesale market for grains, before it was shifted to the Agriculture Produce Market Complex at Barwaddah a decade ago.

Haliwal said they have decided to approach the state government, seeking its immediate intervention. Letters and tweets are already being sent out.

On Tuesday, the management of Gopalichak Colliery issued an eviction notice, in the form of a public appeal, to residents of Pasi Dhaura, Bauri Basti, No.2 Gopalichak Colony and No. 17 Dhaura, with a special reference to Karkend Bazar that is to the west of NH-32.

The notice asked them to vacate the area, which, it explained, faced the threat of subsidence since it was within the underground fire zone.

On Wednesday, the management Godhar Kusunda Colliery issued a similar appeal to residents of No.15 Kurmidih Harijan Basti/Mochi Basti, No. 9 Kali Basti, No. 15 Godhar Basti and No. 3, 4 Ghansadih Basti.

Haliwal blamed their plight on alleged indiscriminate mining by BCCL. “We are facing the ill effects of reckless mining by BCCL. One of the largest parks in the area is Nehru Udyan. It was set up in the 90s and is the only place of leisure for the community. But now it has been turned into a den of pollution as nearby coal patches have been awarded to private contractors who are carrying out indiscriminate mining,” he alleged.

GM of Putki Balihari area A Roychoudhary said the risk of subsidence in underground fire affected areas increases during monsoon. “We give notice to people during monsoon so that they remain alert. But we will see how a notice was issued to Karkend Bazar which is situated on NH-32,” he said.