Life Around Coal

• Photographer
  Debasish Ghosh
• Prizes
  Bronze in Book/Documentary

Jharia and Raniganj in India are famous for their rich coal resources. Thousands of people have mined in these productive fields for centuries. However, a fire which started a century ago has only worsened making it one of the widest spread mine fires today. The fire causes deep cracks and emits poisonous gases into the atmosphere. The trees are uprooted, and the houses collapse due to this fire. The people in and around these mines live a dangerous life of poverty, coal scavenging and insecurity. This ongoing project portrays pollution, land degradation and deteriorating living conditions.

I am Debasish, a documentary photographer from India. I have been working on various projects covering environment, culture, travel, and long-term documentaries since 2007.