Lok Sabha Question No. 484 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-06
Subject: Conservation and Safety of Coal Mines
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Mohammad Jawed, Behanan Benny, A. Chellakumar, Amar Singh, T.N. Prathapan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 484

## ANSWERED ON 06.12.2023

## Conservation and Safety of Coal Mines

484. Dr. Mohammad Jawed:

Shri Benny Behanan:

Dr. A. Chellakumar:

Dr. Amar Singh:

Shri T.N. Prathapan:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of accidents reported in coal mines since 2019, State-wise;
- (b) the details of funds allocated under Conservation and Safety of coal mines during the last five years; and
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to reduce the occurrence of such accidents at coal mining sites?

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES

## ANSWER (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

- (a): The details of accidents from 2019 to 2023 is enclosed at Annexure.

(b): The details of funds allocated under Conservation and Safety of coal mines:

| Year    |   Funds allocated (Rs. in Crore) |
|---------|----------------------------------|
| 2018-19 |                             59.5 |
| 2019-20 |                              4   |
| 2020-21 |                              6   |
| 2021-22 |                              4.5 |
| 2022-23 |                              4   |

- (c): 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 made under the Mines Act, 1952, the Mines Rules- 1955, the Coal Mine Regulations- 2017 and Byelaws & Standing Order framed there under, the following steps are being taken to reduce occurrence of such accidents in mines.

1. Preparation and implementation of Site Specific Risk Assessment based Safety Management Plans (SMPs).
2. Preparation and implementation of Principal Hazards Management Plans (PHMPs).
3. Formulation and compliance of Site-specific Risk Assessment based Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
4. Conducting Safety Audit of mines through multi-disciplinary Safety Audit teams.
5. Adoption of the state-of-the art mechanism for Strata Management.
6. Monitoring of mine environment.
7. 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, AudioVisual Alarm (AVA), Automatic Fire Detection & Suppression system etc.
- Ergonomically designed seats & AC Cabins for operators' comfort.
- 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.
8. 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 on continual basis on various topics.
- Sensitization of all employees including Members of Safety Committees and contractual workmen on regular basis.
- Various training programme for enhancement of knowledge of mine executives.
- Training on Risk Management by SIMTARS accredited executives.
9. Mine Safety Inspection:
- Round-the-clock Supervision of all mining operations by adequate number of competent & statutory Supervisors and mine Officials.
- Regular Inspection by Workmen Inspectors appointed in each mine.
- Surprise back shift mine Inspections by mine and area level officials.
- Regular mine Inspection by officials of Internal Safety Organization.
- Periodic mine Inspections by senior officials.

*****

## The details of accidents from 2018 to 2023:

| State          | Fatal Accidents   | Fatal Accidents   | Fatal Accidents   | Fatal Accidents   | Fatal Accidents   | Fatal Accidents   | Serious Accidents   | Serious Accidents   | Serious Accidents   | Serious Accidents   | Serious Accidents   | Serious Accidents   |
|----------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
| State          | 2018              | 2019              | 2020              | 2021              | 2022              | 2023*             | 2018                | 2019                | 2020                | 2021                | 2022                | 2023*               |
| Chhattisgarh   | 11                | 7                 | 12                | 5                 | 4                 | 2                 | 6                   | 10                  | 5                   | 10                  | 19                  | 11                  |
| Gujarat        | 1                 | -                 | 0                 | -                 | -                 | -                 | 1                   | -                   | 1                   | -                   |                     | -                   |
| Jharkhand      | 9                 | 11                | 8                 | 7                 | 7                 | 8                 | 14                  | 7                   | 11                  | 15                  | 16                  | 3                   |
| Madhya Pradesh | 7                 | 3                 | 4                 | 7                 | 6                 | 2                 | 17                  | 8                   | 5                   | 16                  | 18                  | 5                   |
| Maharashtra    | 2                 | 3                 | 4                 | 4                 | 0                 | 2                 | 11                  | 12                  | 4                   | 5                   | 8                   | 2                   |
| Orissa         | 8                 | 7                 | 5                 | 2                 | 0                 | 6                 | 2                   | 2                   | 2                   | 3                   | 4                   | 0                   |
| Rajasthan      | -                 | 1                 | 0                 | -                 | 0                 | -                 | -                   | 0                   | -                   | -                   | 1                   | -                   |
| Telangana      | 8                 | 8                 | 9                 | 7                 | 5                 | 5                 | 207                 | 143                 | 80                  | 127                 | 101                 | 59                  |
| Andhra Pradesh | -                 | -                 | -                 | -                 | 0                 | -                 | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | 1                   | -                   |
| Assam          | -                 | -                 | -                 | -                 | -                 | 0                 | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | 0                   |
| Tamil Nadu     | 1                 | 1                 | -                 | 0                 | 0                 | -                 | 0                   | 0                   | -                   | 1                   | 1                   | -                   |
| Uttar Pradesh  | 1                 | 2                 | 0                 | 1                 | 0                 | 1                 | 0                   | 0                   | 2                   | 1                   | 1                   | 6                   |
| West Bengal    | 1                 | 8                 | 6                 | 10                | 2                 | 4                 | 8                   | 11                  | 8                   | 10                  | 9                   | 3                   |
| Total          | 49                | 51                | 48                | 43                | 24                | 30*               | 266                 | 193                 | 118                 | 188                 | 179                 | 89*                 |

*upto 20.11.2023 (Provisional)

## ANNEXURE