Dhanbad, May 6: Though residents in the coal belt of Jharia and Raniganj take pride in the presence of vast coal reserves under their land little do they know about the health hazards connected with the same. After three years of research, a group of scientists of Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR), Digwadih, have found that due to the coal, residents were suffering from high blood pressure, gastrointestinal disorders, arthritis, asthma and eczema. Soil contamination due to coal mining and processing is also leading to various other health risks, including general weakness, blurred vision and body pain. A group of scientists of CIMFR, Digwadih, had carried out three years of research. The project,