Lok Sabha Question No. 324 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-17
Subject: Incidents of Fire
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: P.R. SUNDARAM, PR. SENTHILNATHAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA Unstarred Question No. 324 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.11.2016

## Incidents of Fire

## 324.      SHRI P.R. SUNDARAM: SHRI P.R.SENTHIL NATHAN:

Will the MINISTER OF COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of incidents of fire took place in the coal mines in the country during the last three years and the current year alongwith the reasons for such fires, State and mine-wise;
- (b) whether the Director General of Mines Safety has taken appropriate steps to prevent such fire incidents and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the steps taken by the Union Government to install and commission adequate number of fire protection systems in all the coal mines in the country;
- (d) the amount earmarked and disbursed to ensure installation of adequate fire safety and fire protection systems in all the coal mines of the country; and
- (e) whether the Union Government has envisaged any further precautionary fire protection measures in all the coal mines in the country, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL, POWER, NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

Reply (a): Company-wise details of incidents of fire that took place in mines of Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries during the last three years and the current year along with the reasons for such fires, State and mine-wise is given in Annexure.

Reply (b): Official of DGMS during their routine inspection of the mine apprises the management about the dangers of fire in the mines and management is directed to take precautions accordingly. On being reported, all fires are properly attended by the officers of DGMS at the earliest possible time and appropriate steps are taken  to  prevent  recurrence.  Most  of  the  Heavy  Earth  Moving  Machinery  (H.E.M.M.)  is  provided  with Fully/Semi-automatic  Fire  Detection  and  Suppression  System  (F.D.S.S.).  The  management  of  coal companies have installed fire protection system in their mines and also independent control room is setup to monitor in case of any eventuality.

Reply (c): Adequate arrangements for fire protection are provided in all coal mines of CIL and its subsidiary as  per  various  provisions  stipulated  under  the  Coal  Mines  Regulations-  1957  and  also  as  per  special conditions, if any, imposed by DGMS.

Reply (d): Necessary funds as required for installation of adequate safety arrangement for fire protection system in all mines of CIL and its subsidiary companies are being provided. Subsidiary-wise status of funds allocated and disbursed/ utilized under safety capital head for last three years from 2013-14 to 2015-16 and funds allocated under safety capital head for the current year 2016-17 are given as under:

(Amount in Rs. Lakhs)

| Companies   | Under Safety Capital Head (2013-14)   | Under Safety Capital Head (2013-14)   | Under Safety Capital Head (2014-15)   | Under Safety Capital Head (2014-15)   | Under Safety Capital Head (2015-16)   | Under Safety Capital Head (2015-16)   | Under Safety Capital Head (2016-17)   |
|-------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| Companies   | Fund Allocated                        | Fund Utilized                         | Fund Allocated                        | Fund Utilized                         | Fund Allocated                        | Fund Utilized                         | Fund Allocated                        |
| ECL         | 4316.00                               | 4136.00                               | 7975.00                               | 4598.00                               | 6628.00                               | 4450.00                               | 6479.00                               |
| BCCL        | 3585.46                               | 1654.00                               | 2524.38                               | 2034.65                               | 2263.98                               | 2008.65                               | 2270.51                               |
| CCL         | 1225.22                               | 578.84                                | 1162.65                               | 879.40                                | 656.74                                | 500.06                                | 1019.82                               |
| NCL         | 614.00                                | 5.92                                  | 104.00                                | 72.00                                 | 1316.00                               | 1316.00                               | 840.00                                |
| WCL         | 325.00                                | 376.3                                 | 533.00                                | 205.47                                | 1200.00                               | 761.41                                | 800.00                                |
| SECL        | 2600.00                               | 950.27                                | 2000.00                               | 105.00                                | 1346.60                               | 350.00                                | 4227.00                               |
| MCL         | 1141.58                               | 970.34                                | 961.44                                | 826.83                                | 715.32                                | 679.55                                | 941.00                                |
| NEC         | 150.67                                | 37.30                                 | 72.59                                 | 45.79                                 | 135.10                                | 57.23                                 | 261.63                                |
| CIL (Total) | 13957.93                              | 8708.97                               | 15333.06                              | 8767.14                               | 14261.74                              | 10122.90                              |                                       |

Reply (e): Apart from steps being taken as per various provisions stipulated under statutes and conditions imposed  in  DGMS  permission,  the  following  precautionary  fire  protection  measures  are  been  taken  for implementation in phased manner in the mines of CIL and its subsidiary companies:

1. Using Gas Chromatograph for quicker and accurate mine air sample analysis.
2. Using online Environmental Tele-Monitoring System (ETMS) for Continuous monitoring of the mine atmosphere in all degree-III gassy and fiery underground mines.
3. Nitrogen flushing in fire affected areas.
4. Use of quick setting materials for construction of isolation stopping.
5. On-going  R&D  projects  on  fire  topics  and  ranking  of  coal  seams  as  per  susceptibility  to spontaneous heating / mine fire.
6. Detection of mine fire through satellite remote sensing imagery.
7. Use of automatic fire detection and suppression system in large HEMM in OC mines.

*******

## Annexure

Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) and Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL):No incidents of mine fire during the last three years and the current year.

## Western Coalfields Limited (WCL):

## Year - 2013:

| Period   | Period   | Mine& State                  | Reason of           |
|----------|----------|------------------------------|---------------------|
| From     | To       | Mine& State                  | Reason of           |
| 05/02/13 | 06/02/13 | Mathani, Madhya Pradesh      | Spontaneous heating |
| 01/07/13 | 01/07/13 | Vishnupuri-1, Madhya Pradesh | Spontaneous heating |
| 17.8.13  | 18.8.13  | Saoner-3, Maharastra         | Spontaneous heating |

## Year 2014:

| Period   | Period   | Mine& State           | Reason                                                                       |
|----------|----------|-----------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| From     | To       |                       | of Fire                                                                      |
| 03/03/14 | 03/03/14 | Saoner-3,Maharastra   | Spontaneous heating                                                          |
| 12/07/14 | 12/07/14 | SilewaraUG,Maharastra | Spontaneous heating                                                          |
| 13/9/14  | 15/9/14  | DRC 6,7&8, Maharastra | Spontaneous heating. Mine was temporarily closed and re-opened on 25.03.2015 |

## Year 2015:

| Period   | Period   | Mine& State              | Reason of Fire      |
|----------|----------|--------------------------|---------------------|
| From     | To       | Mine& State              | Reason of Fire      |
| 06.04.15 | 09/04/15 | DRC 4&5, Maharastra      | Spontaneous heating |
| 16.07.15 | 27.07.15 | BC 3&4 Pits, Maharastra  | Spontaneous heating |
| 24.08.15 | 24.08.15 | Nehariya, Madhya Pradesh | Spontaneous heating |
| 16.10.15 | 17.10.15 | Mohan, Madhya Pradesh    | Spontaneous heating |

## Year 2016 (upto October):

| Period   | Period   | Mine& State                  | Reason of Fire      |
|----------|----------|------------------------------|---------------------|
| From     | To       | Mine& State                  | Reason of Fire      |
| 20.01.16 | 23.01.16 | Visnhupuri-2, Madhya Pradesh | Spontaneous heating |

## South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL):

The details of coal mine fire/ spontaneous heating for last 3 years & current year is given below;

|   Year | Name of Mines   | State          | Reasons     | Occurrence of fire / spontaneous heating   |
|--------|-----------------|----------------|-------------|--------------------------------------------|
|   2013 | NCPH (R-6 mine) | Chhattisgarh   | Sp. heating | 2 nd May, 2013                             |
|   2014 | Nil             | -              | -           | -                                          |
|   2015 | Kapildhara      | Madhya Pradesh | Sp. heating | August, 2015                               |
|   2016 | Nil             | -              | -           | -                                          |

## Mahanadi Coalfields Limited:

During the period, there is one case of fire due to spontaneous heating which was detected in Orient Mine No-3on 11/08/2015  and  was  subsequently  sealed  off  on  15/08/2015.Further  the  mine  was  re-opened  on  15/12/2015 successfully.