Lok Sabha Question No. 56 (STARRED), answered on 2025-07-23
Subject: Modernisation of Coal Mine Safety  Regulations
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Dr. Prashant Yadaorao Padole, Shri Janardan Mishra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 56 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025

## Modernisation of Coal Mine Safety Regulations

†*56. Dr. Prashant Yadaorao Padole: Shri Janardan Mishra:

Will the Minister of Coal be pleased to state:

(a) the steps taken by the Government to modernise coal mine safety regulations in the country including Chhattisgarh;

(b) the details of measures taken to ensure safety and welfare of workers;

(c) the details of action plan being formulated to prevent deaths of coal workers in mining accidents;

(d)  the  impact  of  launch  of  National  Coal  Mine  Safety  Report  Portal  regarding  the conduct and monitoring of safety audits of coal mines;

(e) the manners in which Sneh Milan Mela initiative promotes community participation and cooperation in coal mining areas; and

(f) whether any efforts have been made for the safety of workers working in the coal mines operating in Singrauli and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 56 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025 ASKED BY DR. PRASHANT YADAORAO PADOLE, HON'BLE MP AND SHRI JANARDAN MISHRA HON'BLE MP REGARDING 'MODERNISATION OF COAL MINE SAFETY REGULATIONS'.

- (a): The steps taken by the Government to modernise coal mine safety regulations in the country including Chhattisgarh are as follows:
- (i)  The  Coal Mines Regulations - 1957 framed under Section 57 of the Mines Act, 1952,  were  comprehensively  amended  to  reflect  progress  in  mining  methods, mechanization,  and  application  of  emerging  technologies.  Taking  into  account  the evolving nature of coal mining operations and the need for enhanced safety standards, the Coal Mines Regulations, 2017, were suitably amended and notified in the official Gazette  by  the  concerned  department  of  Central  Government  in  the  month  of November 2017.
- (ii)  These  updated,  amended  regulations,  i.e.  CMR  2017,  have  been  uniformly enforced across all  coal  mines  in  India,  ushering  in  a  modernized  framework  that emphasizes risk-based safety management, worker protection, and the integration of contemporary advanced mining technologies.
- (b): All coal mines are governed by the Mines Act, 1952, and rules, regulations framed thereunder. The Mines Act, 1952 is administered by the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) by way of the development of suitable legislations, rules, regulations, standards and guidelines, inspections, investigation of accidents, awareness activities, and formulating risk management plans.

Apart  from  compliance  of  the  statutory  provisions  under  the  Mines  Act,  1952,  the Mines Rules- 1955, the Coal Mine Regulations- 2017 and Bye Laws & Standing Order framed there under, the following steps are being taken to reduce the occurrence of such  accidents  in  mines.  Coal  companies  also  administer  mines  through  the modernised  safety  measures  viz, Preparation  and  implementation  of  Site  Specific Risk  Assessment, Training  on  Mine  Safety, Mine  Safety  Inspection , Conducting Safety  Audit  of  mines, Adoption  of  the  state-of-the  art  mechanism  for  Strata Management  and  Monitoring  of  mine  environment. Additionally,  specific  safety measures for Opencast and Underground mines are as under:

- (i) Opencast  Mines - Use  of eco-friendly Surface  Miners  for  blast-free safe mining, Mine-specific Traffic Rules, Training on Simulators to HEMM operators, Dumpers  with  Proximity  Warning  Devices,  Camera,  Audio-Visual  Alarm (AVA), Automatic Fire Detection & Suppression system, Geo-fencing in some large OCPs, High mast towers for increasing lighting and Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCC).
- (ii). Underground  mines  - Elimination of basket loading by introducing  semimechanized technology, replacing the cement capsules with resin capsules for an effective roof control system, introduction of Continuous Miner technology, and Emergency Response & Evacuation Plans (ER & EP).

The following measures are taken to ensure welfare of workers in coal mines by Coal PSUs: -

1. Statutory facilities such as Canteen, Rest shelter facility, Creche, drinking water facilities, conservancies, Pit head baths etc.
2. Voluntary facilities of providing Township & Clubs, Housing facilities, Cooperative societies etc.
3. Medical facilities through its hospitals and dispensaries.
4. Education facilities by means of financing the schools in its mining areas.
5. (c): The following action plans have been formulated to prevent mine accidents and to improve the safety standards in coal mines:
1. Adoption of Self-Regulation :  Implemented a structured approach to safety through the formulation of Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) -based Safety Management Plans (SMPs) , fostering a culture of proactive risk management.
2. Risk-Based SOPs : Formulated and enforced risk-based Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all mining and associated activities to standardize safe work practices and reduce operational hazards.
3. Blast-Free, Eco-Friendly Safe Mining Technologies :  Introduced advanced mass  production technologies (MPT) such as Continuous  Miners in underground mines , Surface Miners and Vero-Rippers in opencast mines, and High Wall Mining in hybrid mines to ensure safer, cleaner, and more efficient operations.
4. Mechanized Strata Control : Deployed mechanized drilling and resin capsulebased roof bolting, supplemented with instrumentation , to ensure robust and scientifically managed strata control.
5. Real-Time Safety Monitoring : Strengthened safety oversight through integration  of  mine  surveillance  systems  using  Integrated  Command  and Control Centers (ICCCs) for continuous monitoring and rapid response.
6. Improved  Mine  Atmosphere  Analysis :  Utilized  gas  chromatographs  to enhance the precision and reliability of mine air sample analysis.
7. Traffic  Safety :  Formulated  and  enforced  COPs  for  transport  plying  inside mines. Also implemented GPS-enabled Operator Independent Truck Dispatch Systems (OITDS) with geo-fencing, improving haulage efficiency and minimizing human error.
8. Modernisation of Training :  Enhanced  operator  skill  and  safety  awareness through simulator-based training for HEMM operators and the use of Virtual Reality (VR) for immersive, scenario-based safety training.
9. Modern and Advanced Dust Suppression : Deployed advanced dust control technologies,  including  fog  cannons  and  mist  spray  systems,  to  minimize airborne particulate exposure and improve air quality.
10. Use of Digitalization and AI-based Analytics :  Leveraged d igital  tools  and data  analytics  to  support  predictive  risk  management,  informed  decision-

making,  and  the  creation  of  a  safer,  smarter,  and  more  sustainable  mining ecosystem.

11. Integrated control and command centres have been established.

(d):  The  National  Coal  Mine  Safety  Report  (NCMSR) Portal plays a crucial role in enhancing  mine  safety  by  serving  as  a  centralized  platform  for  collecting  and analysing data on mine accidents and mine safety audits. The NCMSR portal enables trend analysis of reported accidents, allowing for the early identification of potential high-risk areas and unsafe practices.

The NCMSR Portal provides company authorities, an access to accident and mine safety audit data, enabling timely interventions to enhance safety standards in mines and take appropriate measures for improvement of standards of mine safety.

(e):  The Bhatgaon Area of South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) had arranged small localized program named 'Sneh Milan Mela' under the theme 'Nasha Mukti', focussing on drug de-addiction and social awareness among the worker and families through voluntary participation of employees, their families and local public solely for entertainment  purpose  with  awareness  on  a  social  cause  building  social  bonding among employees through their participation by installing food stalls and entertainment stalls build on no profit-no loss system and neither any financial grant nor any fund was raised for the said program, rather the said program was organised by the voluntary involvement of employees and their families for the sole purpose of community togetherness.

(f): Efforts have been made for the safety of workers working in the coal mines of Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL), spread in Singrauli Coalfields.  Details of the steps taken for the safety of workers are given in the above reply of part (b).

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