Lok Sabha Question No. 527 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-20
Subject: Safety and Security of Coal Mines
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Amol Ramsing Kolhe, DNV Senthilkumar. S., C.N. Annadurai, Dhanush M Kumar, Sunil Dattatray Tatkare, Supriya Sadanand Sule, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Gautham Sigamani Pon, Kuldeep Rai Sharma

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  527 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2022

## Safety and Security of Coal Mines

527.   DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR. S.:

SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI:

SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

DR. PON GAUTHAM SIGAMANI:

SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

## Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there are guidelines for safety and security of coal mines in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether these guidelines are reviewed from time to time and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) The number of accidents that took place in coal mines during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (d) the number of people injured in these accidents along with the relief provided to families of deceased persons;
- (e)  the  details  of  the  guidelines  prescribed  by  the  Government  for  safety  and security in coal mines across the country;
- (f)  whether the Government has conducted Safety Audit in all coal mines of Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries;
- (g) if so, the details thereof and deficiencies identified during the Safety Audit; and (h) the further steps taken by Government to improve safety standard of coalmines in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

- (a):    The provisions for occupational safety & health for persons employed in the mines have been made in the Mines Act 1952 and rules & regulations framed there under. The applicable legislation to the coal mines are: (i) The Mines Act 1952, (ii) The Mines Rules, 1955, (iii) The Coal -Mines Regulations, 2017 (iv) The Mines Rescue rules, 1985, (v) The

Mines  Vocational  Training  Rules  1966,  (vi)  The  Mines  Creche  Rules,  1985,  etc. Besides, Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) issues Circulars  form time to time based on the accidents and the technological advancements in the mining method and the machinery.

(b):     The Act / Rules are reviewed and amended from time to time to incorporate the changes  in  Occupational  Safety  and  health  of  mine  workers  in line with the technological  advancements  in  mining  industry.  The  Coal  Mines  Regulation  (CMR) 1957  has  been  amended  as  Coal  Mines  Regulations  2017  and  Oil  Mines Regulation, 1984 has been amended as the, Oil Mines Regulations 2017. Further, the Mines Act 1952 has been subsumed into "The Occupational Safety Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020" which has been notified on 29th September, 2020. It will come into force on the date as notified by the Central Government.

(c) & (d): The number of accidents in coal mines and number of persons injured during 2019 to 2021 and the current year is Annexed-I. Compensation are paid as per the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923 enacted by Govt. of India. Apart from this, Coal India Ltd. (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. (SCCL) provide compensation and  other  monetary  relief  etc.  to  the  family   of  deceased  who  died  in  any  mine accidents, as per details mentioned at Annexure-II.

(e):        Ministry  of  Coal  has  not  issued  any  guidelines  in  respect  of  security  of  coal mines  of  CIL  and  its  subsidiaries.  However,  coal  companies  are  availing  services  of different security agencies like Departmental Security, Directorate General of Resettlement  (DGR)  sponsored  Security,  Home  Guards,  Central  Industrial  Security Force (CISF) and State Industrial Security Force (SISF).

(f)  &  (g):  Safety  Audit  of  mines  are  being  conducted  every  year  voluntarily  to  assess safety status of mine. In the year 2021-22, Safety Audit has been conducted in all 301 producing mines of CIL and its subsidiaries. Appropriate corrective actions have been taken to rectify the Mine-specific deficiencies, if any, identified during the said audit.

(h):     DGMS has taken further steps to improve safety standards of coal mines in the country. The steps taken as provided under the provisions of the Mines Act 1952 and its subordinate legislation 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: Pointing out contraventions, temporary stoppages of a mine or part  thereof;  serving  the  Improvement  Notices  &  Prohibitory  Orders  to rectify the contraventions of statute relevant to the safety, health and working conditions at a mine observed during the course of inspections.
3. (ii) Developmental measures such as standard setting, adopting various recommendations of the ILO Conventions,
4. (iii)      Promotional  measures  such  as  holding  National.  Conferences  on  Safety  in  mines, conducting National Safety Awards (Mines), imparting Vocational Training and Other Training, Observance of Safety Weeks and Safety Campaigns, Holding Rescue Competition, promoting participation of worker in safety management, awareness and information dissemination.
5. (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 DGMS Circulars as guidelines for safe operations in identified thrust areas from time to time.

In addition to above, the following steps to improve safety standard of coal mines are also being taken by coal companies:

1. Preparation and implementation of risk assessment based Safety Management Plans (SMPs).
2. Preparation and implementation of Principal Hazards Management  Plans (PHMPs) along with Trigger Action Response Plan (TARP).
3. Formulation  and  compliance  of  Site-specific  Risk  Assessment  based  Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
4. Conducting safety audit of mines.
5. Online  Centralized  Safety  Monitoring  System  'CIL  Safety  Information  System (CSIS)' has been developed for monitoring different safety parameters.

…

Annexure-I Details of accident State wise in Coal Mines 2019-2022

| State        |   No. of Fatal Accident |   No. of Serious Accident |   Injured |
|--------------|-------------------------|---------------------------|-----------|
| 2019         |                    2019 |                      2019 |      2019 |
| Chhattisgarh |                       7 |                        10 |        10 |
| Jharkhand    |                      11 |                         7 |        12 |

| Madhya Pradesh        | 3                     | 8                     | 8                     |
|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
| Maharashtra           | 3                     | 12                    | 13                    |
| Orissa                | 7                     | 2                     | 2                     |
| Rajasthan             | 1                     | 0                     | 0                     |
| Telangana             | 8                     | 143                   | 143                   |
| Tamil Nadu            | 1                     | 0                     | 0                     |
| Uttar Pradesh         | 2                     | 0                     | 1                     |
| West Bengal           | 8                     | 11                    | 15                    |
| TOTAL                 | 51                    | 193                   | 204                   |
| 2020                  | 2020                  | 2020                  | 2020                  |
| Chhattisgarh          | 12                    | 5                     | 5                     |
| Gujarat               | 0                     | 1                     | 1                     |
| Jharkhand             | 8                     | 11                    | 16                    |
| Madhya Pradesh        | 4                     | 5                     | 7                     |
| Maharashtra           | 4                     | 4                     | 4                     |
| Orissa                | 5                     | 2                     | 2                     |
| Telangana             | 9                     | 80                    | 87                    |
| Uttar Pradesh         | 0                     | 2                     | 3                     |
| West Bengal           | 6                     | 8                     | 14                    |
| TOTAL                 | 48                    | 118                   | 139                   |
| 2021                  | 2021                  | 2021                  | 2021                  |
| Chhattisgarh          | 5                     | 10                    | 10                    |
| Jharkhand             | 7                     | 15                    | 17                    |
| Madhya Pradesh        | 7                     | 16                    | 16                    |
| Maharashtra           | 4                     | 5                     | 6                     |
| Orissa                | 2                     | 3                     | 3                     |
| Telangana             | 7                     | 127                   | 129                   |
| Tamil Nadu            | 2                     | 1                     | 1                     |
| Uttar Pradesh         | 1                     | 1                     | 1                     |
| West Bengal           | 10                    | 10                    | 12                    |
| TOTAL                 | 43                    | 188                   | 196                   |
| 2022 (upto June 2022) | 2022 (upto June 2022) | 2022 (upto June 2022) | 2022 (upto June 2022) |
| Chhattisgarh          | 2                     | 12                    | 12                    |
| Jharkhand             | 6                     | 7                     | 7                     |
| Madhya Pradesh        | 6                     | 5                     | 5                     |
| Maharashtra           | 2                     | 5                     | 5                     |
| Orissa                | 0                     | 4                     | 4                     |
| Telangana             | 2                     | 27                    | 28                    |
| West Bengal           | 7                     | 4                     | 5                     |
| TOTAL                 | 25                    | 64                    | 66                    |

Compensation and other monetary relief etc. paid to the family of deceased who died in any mine accident arising out of and in course of employment-

## In case of Departmental Employee -

1. Payment of compensation under the Employee's Compensation Act 1923 (last amended vide notification S.O. 71 (E) dated January 3, 2020).
2. Employment  is  offered  to  the  dependent  of  deceased  departmental  employee due  to  mine  accident.  In  case  there  is  no  eligible  person  for  employment, monetary compensation per month is paid to the family of the deceased in lieu of employment.
3. Rs. 15 lakhs is paid to the dependent of deceased departmental employee as a special  relief  /  ex-gratia,  which  is  in  addition  to  the  amount  payable  under  the Employee's Compensation Act-1923 (amended upto 2020). (Amount revised vide Office Order dt 14.11.2019)
4. Immediate payment of lump sum amount (generally Rs 20,000) to the family of deceased for funeral, transport expenses etc.
5. Monetary  benefits  under  Life  Cover  Scheme  (LCS)  of  Rs  1,25,000/  w.e.f. 1.10.2017 as per NCWA-X.
6. Ex-gratia amount of Rs 90,000/ in case of death or permanent total disablement resulting on account of accident arising out of and in course of employment w.e.f 01.10.2017 as per NCWA-X.
7. Gratuity on the basis of the length of service as per the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972.
8. Other  benefits  like  P.F  as  per  CMPF  rule,  Pension  as  per  CMPS,  1998, Encashment of EL etc. as per company (CIL) rules.

## In case of contractual Employee -

1. Payment of compensation under the Employee's Compensation Act 1923 (last amended vide notification S.O. 71 (E) dated January 3, 2020).
2. Rs. 15 lakhs is paid to the dependent of deceased departmental employee as a special  relief  /  ex-gratia,  which  is  in  addition  to  the  amount  payable  under  the Employee's Compensation Act-1923 (amended upto 2020). (Amount revised vide Office Order dt 14.11.2019)
3. Gratuity on the basis of the length of service.
4. Other benefits like P.F as per CMPF / EPF rule.

***