Lok Sabha Question No. 1322 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-07
Subject: Mines Safety
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: MAHEISH GIRRI, HARIOM SINGH RATHORE

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1322

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.12.2015 MINES SAFETY

1322. SHRI MAHEISH GIRRI:

SHRI HARIOM SINGH RATHORE:

Will  the  Minister  of  LABOUR  AND  EMPLOYMENT  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)the  number  of  fatal  accidents  and  casualties  occurred  in  mines including underground mines during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT- wise;
- (b)the number of cases investigated along with the nature of irregularities detected during the said period, year-wise and State/UT-wise;
- (c)the number of cases registered against the companies/persons for violation of mines safety norms along with the action taken against the guilty during the above period, year-wise, State/UT-wise;
- (d)whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  study  regarding  the safety  of  mines  and  prevalence  of  occupational  diseases  in  such workplaces; and
- (e)if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor along with the other measures taken to prevent accidents including accidental deaths in such hazardous workplaces?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

- (a): The  information  regarding  number  of  fatal  accidents  and casualties is at Annexure-I.
- (b) & (c): The State-wise details of number of cases registered (as on 01.12.2015) against delinquents for violating the statutory provisions of the Mines Act, 1952 is at Annexure-II. Adequate provisions for safety and health of persons employed in mines are made in the Mines Act, 1952 and rules and regulations made there under. DGMS makes every

effort to ensure strict compliance of such provisions by mine management. To see that the mine management carries out the mining operations in accordance with the legal provisions to ensure safety of mining  workers,  officers  of  DGMS  make  periodic  inspections  of  all types  of  mines,  irrespective  of  ownership  types  of  the  mines.  During inspection of mines, if the workings or the environment are found to be unsafe  and  dangerous  from  the  point  of  view  of  safety  of  workers; violation  letters,  notices  or  prohibitory  orders  are  immediately  issued to the management to take necessary steps for improvement. Unless the  conditions  improve  for  re-deployment  of  persons  as  recorded through  inspections,  the  orders  are  not  vacated  and  persons  are  not allowed  to  be  deployed  in  such  dangerous  conditions.  DGMS  after proper  enquiry  also  launches  prosecutions  against  the  mines  which violate the rules and regulations of Mines Act, 1952.

(d) & (e): Yes, Government has proposed to conduct the occupational health  survey  of  workers  employed  in  stone  mines  and  quarries  of unorganised  sectors.  A  project  'Multi  Centric  Study  of  Dust  Related Disease  in  Stone  Mines  and  Development  of  Sustainable  Preventive Program'  has  been  entrusted  to  National  Institute  of  Miners  Health (NIMH), Nagpur, an Autonomous Institute under Ministry of Mines. The project will start from the current financial year 2015-16.

The  following  steps  have  been  taken  by  the  Government  to prevent accidental deaths in mines:

- (i) In order to reduce the exposure of miners to risk of accidents and health hazards, manual loading and transportation at the coal  faces  are  being  eliminated  by  mechanized  drilling, loading and transportation;
- (ii) Continuous environment monitoring system is being installed in gassy coal mines to give forewarning of any accumulation of inflammable gas, presence of noxious gases including Co, Co 2  and deficiency of oxygen in mine atmosphere;
- (iii) Low  capacity  loading  and  transport  machinery  are  being replaced by high capacity machines in open cast coal mines thereby  reducing  the  traffic  in  mines  and  accidents  in opencast operations;
- (iv) A  fresh  initiatives  has  been  undertaken  in  coal  mines  to improve  the  skills  of  the  operators  and  competent  persons using most modern training aids like simulators, 3D Artificial Intelligent Audio-Visuals;

- (v) Workers participation and sensitization in matters of safety are ensured  through  training  in  safety  and  by  initiatives  like celebration of safety week and safety campaigns, etc.
- (vi) Safety training programmes are organized among Managers and    Supervisors for improving safety standards in mines.
- (vii) Risk Assessment Techniques are being introduced aimed at elimination of risks and to ensure safety of workmen.
- (viii) To  promote  and  propagate  safety  awareness  in  mines, National Safety     Awards (Mines), National Conference on Safety in Mines is organized by DGMS. The recommendations of National Conference on Safety in Mines go a long way in enhancing safety of mine workers.
- (ix) Standard  operating  procedures  are  established  to  avoid unsafe practices in mines.
- (x) A special safety awareness campaign has been launched to increase  awareness  of  mine  workers.  i.e.,  'Safety  is  My Responsibility'  and  steps  have  been  taken  to  propagate  the same.

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## ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE LOK SABHA  UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  1322  FOR  07.12.2015 ASKED BY SHRI MAHESH GIRI AND SHRI HARIOM RATHORE REGARDING MINES SAFETY.

## Details of fatal accidents in coal mines during 2012 - 2015

|                 |      | Fatal                  | Fatal                 | Fatal                    |
|-----------------|------|------------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------|
| State           | Year | No. of Fatal Accidents | No. of persons killed | No. of persons S/Injured |
| Andhra          | 2012 | 13                     | 14                    | 0                        |
| Pradesh         | 2013 | 10                     | 11                    | 6                        |
| Pradesh         | 2014 | 17                     | 18                    | 1                        |
| Pradesh         | 2015 | 7                      | 7                     | 0                        |
| Assam           | 2012 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| Assam           | 2014 | 0                      | 0                     | 0                        |
| Chhattisgarh    | 2012 | 9                      | 10                    | 1                        |
| Chhattisgarh    | 2013 | 9                      | 9                     | 0                        |
| Chhattisgarh    | 2014 | 8                      | 8                     | 1                        |
| Chhattisgarh    | 2015 | 7                      | 7                     | 0                        |
| Gujarat         | 2013 | 3                      | 3                     | 0                        |
| Gujarat         | 2015 | 2                      | 2                     | 1                        |
| Jharkhand       | 2012 | 22                     | 23                    | 1                        |
| Jharkhand       | 2013 | 24                     | 27                    | 2                        |
| Jharkhand       | 2014 | 15                     | 15                    | 0                        |
| Jharkhand       | 2015 | 16                     | 16                    | 2                        |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 2013 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| Madhya          | 2012 | 8                      | 8                     | 0                        |
| Pradesh         | 2013 | 10                     | 11                    | 1                        |
| Pradesh         | 2014 | 8                      | 9                     | 1                        |
| Pradesh         | 2015 | 9                      | 10                    | 2                        |
| Maharashtra     | 2012 | 6                      | 7                     | 2                        |
| Maharashtra     | 2013 | 6                      | 6                     | 0                        |
| Maharashtra     | 2014 | 8                      | 9                     | 0                        |
| Maharashtra     | 2015 | 6                      | 6                     | 3                        |
| Odisha          | 2012 | 2                      | 2                     | 0                        |
| Odisha          | 2013 | 1                      | 1                     | 1                        |
| Odisha          | 2014 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| Odisha          | 2015 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |

|             |      | Fatal                  | Fatal                 | Fatal                    |
|-------------|------|------------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------|
| State       | Year | No. of Fatal Accidents | No. of persons killed | No. of persons S/Injured |
| Rajasthan   | 2012 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
|             | 2014 | 2                      | 2                     | 0                        |
|             | 2015 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| Tamil Nadu  | 2012 | 3                      | 3                     | 0                        |
|             | 2013 | 0                      | 0                     | 0                        |
|             | 2014 | 2                      | 2                     | 0                        |
|             | 2015 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| Uttar       | 2012 | 4                      | 4                     | 0                        |
| Pradesh     | 2013 | 4                      | 4                     | 0                        |
|             | 2014 | 3                      | 3                     | 0                        |
| West Bengal | 2012 | 10                     | 10                    | 2                        |
|             | 2013 | 9                      | 9                     | 1                        |
|             | 2014 | 5                      | 5                     | 0                        |
|             | 2015 | 7                      | 7                     | 0                        |
| all-India   | 2012 | 79                     | 83                    | 6                        |
|             | 2013 | 77                     | 82                    | 11                       |
|             | 2014 | 69                     | 72                    | 3                        |
|             | 2015 | 57                     | 58                    | 8                        |

Note : Data for the year 2014 & 2015 are provisional. Data for the year 2015 are upto 31.10.2015.

Details of fatal accidents in non-coal mines during 2012 2015

|                |      | Fatal                  | Fatal                 | Fatal                    |
|----------------|------|------------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------|
| State          | Year | No. of Fatal Accidents | No. of persons killed | No. of persons S/Injured |
| Andhra Pradesh | 2012 | 9                      | 9                     | 3                        |
|                | 2013 | 10                     | 12                    | 0                        |
|                | 2014 | 3                      | 3                     | 0                        |
|                | 2015 | 4                      | 4                     | 0                        |
| Assam          | 2012 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
|                | 2013 | 2                      | 3                     | 0                        |
|                | 2014 | 2                      | 2                     | 0                        |
|                | 2015 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |

|                  |      | Fatal                  | Fatal                 | Fatal                    |
|------------------|------|------------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------|
| State            | Year | No. of Fatal Accidents | No. of persons killed | No. of persons S/Injured |
| Bihar            | 2013 | 2                      | 5                     | 0                        |
| Chhattisgarh     | 2012 | 2                      | 2                     | 0                        |
| Chhattisgarh     | 2013 | 0                      | 0                     | 0                        |
| Chhattisgarh     | 2014 | 0                      | 0                     | 0                        |
|                  | 2015 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| Goa              | 2012 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| Goa              | 2015 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| Gujarat          | 2012 | 2                      | 2                     | 0                        |
| Gujarat          | 2013 | 2                      | 2                     | 3                        |
| Gujarat          | 2014 | 2                      | 2                     | 0                        |
|                  | 2015 | 1                      | 2                     | 10                       |
| Himachal Pradesh | 2015 | 0                      | 0                     | 0                        |
| Jharkhand        | 2012 | 2                      | 2                     | 0                        |
| Jharkhand        | 2013 | 2                      | 3                     | 1                        |
| Jharkhand        | 2014 | 4                      | 7                     | 0                        |
|                  | 2015 | 4                      | 4                     | 0                        |
| Jammu & Kashmir  | 2013 | 1                      | 2                     | 0                        |
| Karnataka        | 2012 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| Karnataka        | 2013 | 3                      | 3                     | 0                        |
| Karnataka        | 2014 | 1                      | 1                     | 1                        |
|                  | 2015 | 3                      | 3                     | 1                        |
| Kerala           | 2013 | 1                      | 4                     | 1                        |
|                  | 2014 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| Madhya Pradesh   | 2012 | 2                      | 2                     | 0                        |
|                  | 2013 | 3                      | 3                     | 0                        |
|                  | 2014 | 3                      | 3                     | 1                        |
|                  | 2015 | 0                      | 0                     | 0                        |
| Maharashtra      | 2012 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
|                  | 2014 | 0                      | 0                     | 0                        |
|                  | 2015 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| Odisha           | 2012 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
|                  | 2013 | 3                      | 4                     | 0                        |
|                  | 2014 | 2                      | 2                     | 0                        |
|                  | 2015 | 2                      | 2                     | 0                        |
| Rajasthan        | 2012 | 8                      | 10                    | 1 9                      |
|                  | 2013 | 20                     | 23                    |                          |

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|               |      | Fatal                  | Fatal                 | Fatal                    |
|---------------|------|------------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------|
| State         | Year | No. of Fatal Accidents | No. of persons killed | No. of persons S/Injured |
|               | 2014 | 15                     | 17                    | 3                        |
|               | 2015 | 12                     | 13                    | 0                        |
| Tamil Nadu    | 2012 | 3                      | 3                     | 0                        |
|               | 2013 | 6                      | 7                     | 1                        |
|               | 2014 | 4                      | 4                     | 0                        |
|               | 2015 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| Tripura       | 2012 | 0                      | 0                     | 0                        |
|               | 2014 | 0                      | 0                     | 0                        |
|               | 2015 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| Uttaranchal   | 2012 | 2                      | 2                     | 1                        |
|               | 2014 | 2                      | 2                     | 0                        |
|               | 2015 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| Uttar Pradesh | 2012 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
|               | 2013 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
|               | 2014 | 2                      | 2                     | 1                        |
|               | 2015 | 4                      | 4                     | 0                        |
| West Bengal   | 2012 | 0                      | 0                     | 0                        |
|               | 2013 | 2                      | 2                     | 0                        |
|               | 2014 | 1                      | 1                     | 0                        |
| all-India     | 2012 | 36                     | 38                    | 5                        |
|               | 2013 | 58                     | 74                    | 15                       |
|               | 2014 | 42                     | 47                    | 6                        |
|               | 2015 | 37                     | 39                    | 11                       |

Note : Data for the year 2014 & 2015 are provisional. Data for the year 2015 are upto 31.10.2015.

ANNEXURE-II

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) & (c) OF THE LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  1322  FOR  07.12.2015 ASKED  BY  SHRI  MAHESH  GIRI  AND  SHRI  HARIOM  RATHORE REGARDING MINES SAFETY

## YEAR-2012

| State          |   Cases Filed | Cases decided   |   Pending |
|----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------|
| Andhra Pradesh |             5 | -               |         5 |
| Bihar          |             1 | -               |         1 |
| Chhatisgarh    |             1 | -               |         1 |
| Jharkhand      |             2 | -               |         2 |
| Karnataka      |             2 | 1               |         1 |
| Kerala         |             1 | 1               |         0 |
| Madhya Pradesh |             2 | -               |         2 |
| Maharastra     |             3 | -               |         3 |
| Odisha         |             3 | -               |         3 |
| Rajasthan      |            81 | 6               |        75 |
| Tamil Nadu     |             3 | -               |         3 |
| Uttar Pradesh  |             2 | -               |         2 |
| West Bengal    |             3 | -               |         3 |
| all-India      |           109 | 8               |       101 |

## YEAR-2013

| State          |   Cases Filed | Cases decided   |   Pending |
|----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------|
| Andhra Pradesh |             8 | 1               |         7 |
| Chhatisgarh    |             2 | -               |         2 |
| Jharkhand      |             4 | -               |         4 |
| Kerala         |             1 | -               |         1 |
| Madhya Pradesh |             2 | -               |         2 |
| Orissa         |             3 | -               |         3 |
| Rajasthan      |            69 | 3               |        66 |
| Tamil Nadu     |             2 | 1               |         1 |
| Uttar Pradesh  |             3 | -               |         3 |
| West Bengal    |             2 | -               |         2 |
| all-India      |            96 | 5               |        91 |

YEAR-2014

| State          |   Cases Filed | Cases decided   |   Pending |
|----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------|
| Andhra Pradesh |             1 | -               |         1 |
| Jharkhand      |             6 | -               |         6 |
| Karnataka      |             1 | -               |         1 |
| Kerala         |             1 | -               |         1 |
| Madhya Pradesh |             1 | -               |         1 |
| Odisha         |             1 | -               |         1 |
| Rajasthan      |            14 | -               |        14 |
| Tamil Nadu     |             2 | -               |         2 |
| Uttar Pradesh  |             4 | -               |         4 |
| West Bengal    |             2 | -               |         2 |
| all-India      |            33 | -               |        33 |

YEAR-2015 (as on 01.12.2015)

| State          |   Cases Filed | Cases decided   |   Pending |
|----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------|
| Jharkhand      |             2 | -               |         2 |
| Madhya Pradesh |             2 | -               |         2 |
| Maharastra     |             1 | -               |         1 |
| Rajasthan      |            10 | -               |        10 |
| Telangana      |             1 | -               |         1 |
| Uttar Pradesh  |             3 | -               |         3 |
| West Bengal    |             1 | -               |         1 |
| all-India      |            20 | -               |        20 |

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