Lok Sabha Question No. 2309 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-01
Subject: Accidents in Mines
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Chandrani Murmu

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2309

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2022

## ACCIDENTS IN MINES

## 2309. MS CHANDRANI MURMU:

Will  the  Minister  of  LABOUR  AND  EMPLOYMENT  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)the  number  of  accidents  in  mines  across  India,  particularly  in Odisha along with the details of deaths and injuries since 2010 as well as categories of accidents;
- (b)the  details  of  compensation  in  terms  of  money,  job  and  other compensations  as  per  norms  in  Odisha  including  the  policy  of compensation in this regard;
- (c)the  number  of  cases  of  accidents  occured  due  to  negligence  and the action taken therein; and
- (d)whether  the  Government  has  constituted  a  task  force  to  provide solutions so that accident does not occur; and (e)if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

- (a): The  number  of  accidents  in  mines,  deaths  and  injuries across the country including Odisha since 2010 is annexed.
- (b): The compensation to the workers in the mines for injuries and deaths is provided by the respective Mine Management as per the provisions  of  the  Workmen  Compensation  Act,  1923.  The  details  of compensation, etc. are not maintained centrally in Ministry of Labour & Employment.

There are also provisions to protect the interest of labourers  injured  in  an  accident  under  Mines  Act  1952.    The  mine owners are required to comply with provisions viz. to provide alternate employment  in  the  mine  for  which  the  employee  is  medically  fit, disability allowance determined in accordance with the rate prescribed etc.

- (c): The number of accidents occurred in mines  in the country is  annexed. After each accident, Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS), a subordinate office of the Ministry of Labour & Employment conducts enquiry to find out the reasons of the accident so that such accidents  could  be  avoided  in  future.  After  enquiry,  DGMS  take appropriate action as per the law against the persons found responsible for the accident. These actions include prosecution in the court of law, suspension, removal from service, withheld of promotion / increment, removed from the statutory post, etc.
- (d) & (e): DGMS has been entrusted the task of inspection of mines to ensure the compliance of the provisions of Mines Act 1952 and rules and  regulations  framed  thereunder  for  enhancing  the  safety  of  mine workers. The steps taken by DGMS to reduce the fatalities in mines and improve the safety of workers engaged therein are as under:
- (i). Legislative measures: (a) Enquiry into the accident and dangerous occurrences to ascertain the cause and circumstances that led to the accident  and  suggests  suitable  remedial  measures  to  the  mine management.
- (b)    Inspection  of  the  mines:  Temporary  stoppages of a mine or part thereof;  serving  the  Improvement  Notices  &  Prohibitory  Orders  to rectify  the  contraventions  of  statute  observed  during  the  course  of inspections.
- (ii).Developmental measures such as standard setting, adopting various recommendations of the ILO Conventions.
- (iii).Promotional  measures  such  as  holding  National  Conferences  on Awards  (Mines), imparting  Vocational  Training  and  Other  Training,  Observance  of Safety Weeks and Safety Campaigns, Holding Rescue Competition, management,
- Safety in mines, conducting National Safety promoting participation of worker in safety awareness and information dissemination.
- (iv).  Technical  measures  such  as  Introduction  of  Risk  Assessment Techniques  and  preparation  of  Safety  Management  Plan  aimed  at mitigation of risks and to ensure safety of workmen, introduction of standard operating procedures to avoid unsafe practices in mines, issuing  circulars  as  guidelines  for  safe  operations  in  identified thrust areas from time to time.

*                                                              *******

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (c) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  2309  FOR  01.08.2022  BY  MS.  CHANDRANI  MURMU  REGARDING 'ACCIDENTS IN MINES'

## Details of fatal accidents, serious accidents, persons killed and persons injured in  Mines in the country during calendar year 2010 - 2022

| Year   |   No. of Fatal accident |   Killed |   No. of Serious accident |   Injured |
|--------|-------------------------|----------|---------------------------|-----------|
| 2010   |                      97 |      118 |                       480 |       511 |
| 2011   |                      65 |       67 |                       533 |       556 |
| 2012   |                      79 |       83 |                       536 |       548 |
| 2013   |                      77 |       82 |                       456 |       468 |
| 2014   |                      59 |       62 |                       379 |       394 |
| 2015   |                      54 |       55 |                       302 |       316 |
| 2016   |                      67 |       94 |                       268 |       278 |
| 2017   |                      56 |       61 |                       266 |       272 |
| 2018   |                      49 |       62 |                       266 |       280 |
| 2019   |                      51 |       56 |                       193 |       204 |
| 2020   |                      48 |       53 |                       118 |       139 |
| 2021   |                      43 |       51 |                       188 |       195 |
| 2022 * |                      25 |       31 |                        64 |        66 |

## Details  of  fatal  accidents,  serious  accidents,  persons  killed  and  persons  injured  in    Mines  in  the

(* upto 30.06.2022) Odisha during calendar year 2010 - 2022

| Year   |   No. of Fatal accident |   Killed |   No. of Serious accident |   Injured |
|--------|-------------------------|----------|---------------------------|-----------|
| 2010   |                       2 |        2 |                         6 |         6 |
| 2011   |                       4 |        4 |                        10 |        10 |
| 2012   |                       2 |        2 |                         9 |         9 |
| 2013   |                       1 |        1 |                         9 |        10 |
| 2014   |                       1 |        1 |                        11 |        11 |
| 2015   |                       3 |        3 |                         4 |         4 |
| 2016   |                       2 |        2 |                         4 |         4 |
| 2017   |                       5 |        5 |                         2 |         2 |
| 2018   |                       8 |        8 |                         2 |         4 |
| 2019   |                       7 |       10 |                         2 |         2 |
| 2020   |                       5 |        5 |                         2 |         2 |
| 2021   |                       2 |        2 |                         3 |         3 |
| 2022*  |                       0 |        0 |                         4 |         4 |

(* up to 30.06.2022)

*****