Lok Sabha Question No. 1975 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-05
Subject: Poor Output from Underground Mines
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: KRISHNAN NARAYANASAMY RAMACHANDRAN

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1975 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.05.2016

## Poor 0utput from Underground Mines

## 1975. SHRI K.N. RAMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that only 10 percent production of coal is coming from the underground mines in the country;
- (b) if so, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to fix the responsibility in this regard;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Government to improve the extremely poor output from underground mines?

## Answer

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF COAL, POWER AND NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

## (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a)&(b): All India coal production in the country from underground mines during the  last  three  years  was  less  than  10%  of  the  total  production.  The  scope  for augmenting production from the underground mines was limited on account of difficult geo-mining conditions, non-availability of large size deposits for adopting mass production technologies, and long gestation periods involved. In addition, other major constraints in augmenting coal production from underground mines are: (i) Lack of appropriate technologies to mine coal from thick and steeply inclined and multiple seams (ii) Non-availability of indigenous manufacturing facilities for equipment and spares for longwall technology and continuous miner technology (iii) Long gestation periods mainly due to absence of  mechanization for incline drivage and shaft sinking (iv) Gassiness of seams requiring special attention in certain cases (v) Adverse roof conditions (vi) High cost of production because of uneconomical scale (vii) Problem associated with contiguous / multiple seam working- Multiple seam workings have problems of goaved out waterlogged areas and fire in overlying seams restricting depillaring with  caving.  Contiguous  seams  pose  problems  of  parting  failure  and  roof control.

(c)&(d): In view of limited scope for underground mining in the country and the reasons cited above, the question of fixing responsibility does not arise.

(e):The  steps  envisaged  by  CIL  to  improve  coal  production  from  underground mines include:

-  Planning new underground mines adopting mass production systems like continuous miner technology and longwall technology wherever feasible.
-  Entering  into  risk  /  gain  sharing  arrangements  with  the  equipment suppliers for guaranteed levels of production and maintenance of equipment
-  Undertaking thorough geo-mining investigations before the formulation of the projects
-  Training of manpower.
-  Replacing  manual  loading  with  loading  machines  like  Side  Discharge Loaders  (SDLs),  Load  Haul  Dumpers  (LHDs)  in  conjunction  with  belt conveyers wherever feasible
-  Providing man riding systems to reduce travel time of miners
-  Introducing multi skilled job concepts etc.
-  Create  adequate  infrastructural  facilities  for  ventilation,  bunkerage,  coal evacuation,  out-bye  transportation,  mechanized  tunnelling,  shaft  sinking, roof supporting.
-  Delineate  new  blocks  amenable  for  longwall  technology  with  super  block concept.

****