Lok Sabha Question No. 1721 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-13
Subject: Coal Mine Accidents
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: PRABHAS KUMAR SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1721 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.2.2019

## Coal Mine Accidents

## 1721. DR. PRABHAS KUMAR SINGH :

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

(a) the number of accidents that took place in various coal mines in India especially in Odisha during the last four years and the current year along with the nature thereof and the number of persons injured/killed in the said accidents during the aforesaid period;

(b) whether any enquiry has been conducted to ascertain the reasons behind these accidents and the  number  of  persons  found  guilty  along  with  any  action  taken  against  them    for  the  said accidents;

(c) if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the corrective measures taken/being taken by the Government to improve the safety of coal mines workers in various parts of the country including Odisha?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF FINANCE, RAILWAYS , COAL AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a):  The  number  of  fatal  and  serious  accidents  that  took  place  in  various  coal  mines  in subsidiaries  of  CIL  including  MCL  (operated  in  Odisha)  during  the  last  four  years  and  the current year (upto January 2019) and the number of persons killed and seriously injured in the said accidents are given in Annexure-I.

(b)&(c): Yes  Madam.  All  fatal  accident  cases  were  investigated  to  ascertain  the  causes  and circumstances leading to these mine accidents.

The law enforcing agency / regulatory authority under the Mines Act- 1952 i.e. the Directorate General of Mine safety (DGMS) under the aegis of Ministry of Labour & Employment (MOLE) have  conducted  statutory  enquiry  to  find  out  the  causes  and  circumstances  leading  to  these accidents, fixing the responsibility of person(s) and to suggest the corrective measures required to be taken to prevent recurrence of similar type of fatal accident as per the provisions under the Mines Act-1952.

Apart  from  statutory  inquiry  conducted  by  DGMS,  all  mine  accidents  are  also  inquired  / investigated by the Mine Manager or any Asst. Manager authorized by the Mine Manager and the  Safety  Officer  of  the  respective  mine  as  per  provisions  made  under  the  Coal  Mine Regulation- 2017. The Internal Safety Organization (ISO) of each subsidiary company has also conducted enquiry in case of any fatal accident.

The causes and circumstances leading to those mine accidents have been identified through these investigations. The inquiry officials have also recommended corrective measures to be taken to prevent  recurrence  of  accidents  and  identified  responsibility  of  persons  for  such  accidents. Subsidiary-wise status of actions taken against those persons, who are held responsible in ISO enquiry, as per provisions of CIL's CDA Rules - 1978 (for executives) and Certified Standing Orders of the respective subsidiary (for non-executive employees) after completing all essential disciplinary proceedings are given in Annexure-II.

(d): Following corrective measures have been taken/ being taken by Government to improve the safety of coal mines workers working in various coalfields:

-  Drafting of appropriate legislation and setting safety standards to facilitate reduction in risk to persons employed in mines.
-  Ensuring  compliance  of  statutory  provisions  through  inspection,  follow  up  for corrective  action  subsequent  to  the  inspection  and  implementing  variety  of  safety initiatives:
- o Awareness  programs  creating  an  environment  in  which  safety  is  given  due priority;
- o Issue  of  guidelines  for  safer  operations  in  identified  thrust  areas  through circulars;
- o Issue  of  technical  instructions  by  inspecting  authorities  (like  DGMS)  for  their compliance;
- o National Conference on Safety in Mines;
- o Risk assessment and preparation of safety management plan;
- o Workers' participation in safety management;
- o Observance of safety week and safety campaigns;
- o Tripartite and bipartite review at various levels;
- o National Safety Awards;
- o Mock  drills in mines  involving  mine  management  &  workers  to  check emergency response preparedness.
-  Investigation of all accidents, dangerous occurrences and, based on these, formulation and implementation of appropriate measures in consultation with mine management and workers.

***

## Annexure-I

Number  of  fatal  and  serious  accidents  that  took  place  in  various  coal  mines  in  subsidiaries  of  CIL including MCL (operated in Odisha) during  last 4 years and  current year (upto January-2019)

| Sub.   |   Fatal Accidents |   Fatal Accidents |   Fatal Accidents | Fatal Accidents   | Fatal Accidents   |   Fatalities | Fatalities   |   Fatalities |   Fatalities |   Serious Accidents |   Serious Accidents |   Serious Accidents |   Serious Accidents |   Serious Accidents |   Serious Accidents | Serious Injuries   |   Serious Injuries |   Serious Injuries |   Serious Injuries | Serious Injuries   |
|--------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
| Sub.   |                15 |                16 |                17 | 18                | 19                |           15 | 16           |           17 |           18 |                  19 |                  15 |                  16 |                  17 |                  18 |                  19 | 15 16              |                 17 |                 18 |                 19 |                    |
| ECL    |                 7 |                 9 |                 9 | 1 0               | 7                 |           31 |              |            9 |            2 |                   0 |                  40 |                  44 |                  20 |                  24 |                   0 | 40 44              |                 20 |                 25 |                  0 |                    |
| BCCL   |                 7 |                 6 |                 2 | 2                 | 0 7               |            6 |              |            2 |            2 |                   0 |                   9 |                   5 |                  13 |                   7 |                   0 | 9 5                |                 13 |                  7 |                  0 |                    |
| CCL    |                 2 |                 4 |                 5 | 5                 | 1 2               |            4 |              |            6 |            8 |                   1 |                   5 |                   7 |                   5 |                   9 |                   0 | 5 8                |                  5 |                 16 |                  0 |                    |
| NCL    |                 1 |                 4 |                 3 | 3                 | 0                 |            1 | 4            |            3 |            3 |                   0 |                  19 |                  13 |                  10 |                   8 |                   0 | 20 13              |                 10 |                  8 |                  0 |                    |
| WCL    |                 8 |                 5 |                 3 | 2                 | 0                 |            8 | 5            |            3 |            5 |                   0 |                  25 |                  17 |                  18 |                  17 |                   0 | 27 17              |                 18 |                 17 |                  0 |                    |
| SECL   |                10 |                 8 |                 7 | 12                | 0                 |           10 | 9            |            9 |           15 |                   0 |                  35 |                  27 |                  36 |                  18 |                   1 | 36 29              |                 36 |                 19 |                  1 |                    |
| MCL    |                 3 |                 2 |                 5 | 8                 | 0                 |            3 | 2            |            5 |            8 |                   0 |                   4 |                   7 |                   6 |                   4 |                   1 | 4 7                |                  6 |                  4 |                  1 |                    |
| NEC    |                 0 |                 0 |                 0 | 0                 | 0                 |            0 | 0            |            0 |            0 |                   0 |                   0 |                   0 |                   0 |                   0 |                   0 | 0 0                |                  0 |                  0 |                  0 |                    |
| CIL    |                38 |                38 |                34 | 33                | 1 38              |           61 |              |           37 |           43 |                   1 |                 137 |                 120 |                 108 |                  87 |                   2 | 141 123            |                108 |                 96 |                  2 |                    |

## Annexure-II

Subsidiary-wise status of actions taken against persons, who are held responsible in ISO enquiry, as per provisions made under CIL's CDA Rules - 1978 (for executives) and Certified Standing Orders of respective subsidiary (for nonexecutive employees) as on date

(all figures in number)

| Year   | Action taken against persons, who are held responsible in ISO enquiry   |
|--------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| ECL    |                                                                         |
| 2015   | 14                                                                      |
| 2016   | 9                                                                       |
| 2017   | 10                                                                      |
| 2018   | 0                                                                       |
| BCCL:  |                                                                         |
| 2015   | 22                                                                      |
| 2016   | 21                                                                      |
| 2017   | 6                                                                       |
| 2018   | 2                                                                       |
| CCL    |                                                                         |
| 2015   | 1                                                                       |
| 2016   | 6                                                                       |
| 2017   | 8                                                                       |
| 2018   | 11                                                                      |
| NCL    |                                                                         |
| 2015   | 1                                                                       |
| 2016   | 6                                                                       |
| 2017   | 3                                                                       |
| 2018   | 2                                                                       |
| WCL    |                                                                         |
| 2015   | 18                                                                      |
| 2016   | 27                                                                      |
| 2017   | 19                                                                      |
| 2018   | 6                                                                       |
| SECL   |                                                                         |
| 2015   | 33                                                                      |
| 2016   | 28                                                                      |
| 2017   | 33                                                                      |
| 2018   | 30                                                                      |
| MCL    |                                                                         |
| 2015   | 11                                                                      |
| 2016   | 5                                                                       |
| 2017   | 12                                                                      |
| 2018   | 2                                                                       |