Lok Sabha Question No. 2669 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-11
Subject: Accidents in Coal Mines
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Shri Ummeda Ram Beniwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2669 ANSWERED ON 11.12.2024

## Accidents in Coal Mines

## 2669.   Shri Ummeda Ram Beniwal:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the accidents taking place in coal mines are higher than those taking place in non- coal mines in the country during the last five years;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, coal mine/State-wise along with the reasons therefor;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to ensure latest safety measures to avoid such accidents;
- (d)  whether eco-friendly surface mines are being used for blast-free mining and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e) the coal production recorded in Barmer district of Rajasthan during each of the last five years;
- (f) whether the public and the private sector undertakings are functioning there as per the norms laid down for the same;
- (g) the details of complaints received in this regard; and
- (h) the action taken thereon along with the number of cases disposed of out of these?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a) & (b): The accidents taking place in coal mines are higher than those taking place in non- coal mines in the country. The details of state-wise coal mine accidents for the last five years, i.e., from 2019 to 2023 are as under:

| State          |   Fatal Accidents |   Fatal Accidents |   Fatal Accidents |   Fatal Accidents |   Fatal Accidents |   Serious Accidents |   Serious Accidents |   Serious Accidents |   Serious Accidents |   Serious Accidents |
|----------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
| State          |              2019 |              2020 |              2021 |              2022 |              2023 |                2019 |                2020 |                2021 |                2022 |                2023 |
| Chhattisgarh   |                 7 |                12 |                 5 |                 4 |                 2 |                  10 |                   5 |                  10 |                  19 |                  12 |
| Gujarat        |                 0 |                 0 |                 0 |                 0 |                 0 |                   0 |                   1 |                   0 |                   1 |                   2 |
| Jharkhand      |                11 |                 8 |                 7 |                 7 |                11 |                   7 |                  11 |                  15 |                  16 |                  16 |
| Madhya Pradesh |                 3 |                 4 |                 7 |                 6 |                 4 |                   8 |                   5 |                  15 |                  18 |                   7 |
| Maharashtra    |                 3 |                 4 |                 4 |                 0 |                 3 |                  12 |                   4 |                   5 |                   9 |                   2 |
| Odisha         |                 7 |                 5 |                 2 |                 0 |                 6 |                   2 |                   2 |                   3 |                   4 |                   1 |
| Rajasthan      |                 1 |                 0 |                 0 |                 0 |                 0 |                   0 |                   0 |                   0 |                   1 |                   0 |
| Telangana      |                 8 |                 9 |                 7 |                 5 |                 6 |                 143 |                  79 |                 126 |                 102 |                  67 |
| Tamil Nadu     |                 1 |                 0 |                 0 |                 0 |                 1 |                   0 |                   0 |                   1 |                   1 |                   0 |
| Uttar Pradesh  |                 2 |                 0 |                 1 |                 0 |                 0 |                   0 |                   2 |                   1 |                   1 |                   6 |
| West Bengal    |                 8 |                 6 |                10 |                 2 |                 5 |                  11 |                   8 |                  10 |                   9 |                   4 |
| Total          |                51 |                48 |                43 |                24 |                38 |                 193 |                 117 |                 186 |                 181 |                 117 |

The  coal  mining  industry  has  been  associated  with  significant  risks  to  workers  due  to  hazardous conditions inherent in the mining process.

(c): All Coal mines are governed by the Mines Act, 1952 and rules and regulations framed thereunder. Mines Act, 1952 is administered by DGMS by way of development of suitable legislations, rules, regulations,  standard  and  guidelines,  inspections,  investigation  of  accidents,  awareness  activities, formulating risk management plans.

Apart from compliance of the statutory provisions under the Mines Act, 1952, the Mines Rules1955,  the  Coal  Mine  Regulations-  2017  and  Bye  Laws  &  Standing  Order  framed  there  under  the following steps are being taken to reduce occurrence of such accident in mines:

1. Preparation and implementation of Site Specific Risk Assessment based Safety Management Plans (SMPs), Principal Hazards Management Plans (PHMPs), Formulation and compliance of Site-specific Risk Assessment based Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

2. Training on Mine Safety: Initial and Refresher training, On-the-Job Training as per statute, training on Simulators to HEMM operators, skill up-gradation of frontline mine officials, sensitization of all employees  including  members  of  safety  committees,  contractual  workmen  and  training  on  Risk Management by SIMTARS accredited executives.

3. Conducting Safety Audit of mines through multi-disciplinary Safety Audit teams as per guidelines issued by Ministry of Coal 2023.

4.  Adoption  of  the  state-of-the  art  mechanism  for  Strata  Management  and  Monitoring  of  mine environment

5. Specific Safety measures for OC mines, such as:

- Use of eco-friendly Surface Miners for blast free safe mining.
- Formulation and implementation of Mine-specific Traffic Rules.
- Training on Simulators to HEMM operators.
- Dumpers fitted with Proximity Warning Devices, Rear view mirrors and camera, Audio-Visual Alarm (AVA), Automatic Fire Detection & Suppression system etc.
- GPS based Operator Independent Truck Dispatch System (OITDS) and Geo-fencing in some large OCPs for tracking movement of HEMMs inside OC mine.
- Lighting arrangement using high mast towers for increasing level of illumination.

6. Specific safety measures for Underground coal mines, such as:

- Elimination of basket loading by introducing semi mechanized technology.
- Replaced the cement capsules with resin capsules for effective roof control system with bolting by pneumatic /hydraulic roof bolting system
- Wherever geology permits, Continuous Miner technology is adopted
- Emergency Response & Evacuation Plans (ER & EP) prepared as per Coal Mine Regulation 2017.

(d): The  choice  of  deployment  of  equipment  and  method  is  governed  by  the  individual  mining company based on scientific study and technical parameters. Surface miners are employed in coal mines for reduced chances of blasting in mines.

(e): There is no coal production in Barmer district of Rajasthan in the last five years.

(f) to (h): Coal mines under public and the private sector undertakings are regulated and operated as per the applicable laws, rules and regulations including the Mines Act,1952 and the rules, regulations framed thereunder. The coal mines are operated and are functioning as per the stipulated statutory and regulatory norms under the applicable laws. No complaint regarding lignite mines situated in Barmer district of Rajasthan has been received so far.

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