Question : ACCIDENTS IN MINES

MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI MUNI LALL)

(a) & (b) : The total number of accidents and the casualties that took place in mines in the country during the last three years are as under:-

Year	No. of accidents	No. of Casualties
1997	1155	242	1998 967	218	1999+ 761	219
+	Provisional

These accidents mainly occurred in mines due to fall of roof, fall of sides, rope haulages, dumpers, truck tanker,other machinery, explosives, fall of persons and fall of object etc.

(c) : Detailed safety measures to improve safety in mines have been laid down in the Mines Act, 1952 and the Rules and Regulations framed thereunder. It is the responsibility of the mines management to comply with the same. The owners and agents of each mine are responsible for making financial and other provisions and for taking other such steps as may be necessary for compliance with the safety laws. The Directorate General of Mines Safety has the responsibility to see that the safety statute is kept updated taking into account the technical andvancements as well as to make the same comprehensive, practical and legally sound and also to carry out periodic inspections of mines to oversee compliance of safety laws. Each and every accident involving a fatality is enquired into by an officer of the Directorate General of Mines Safety.

Besides the legislative measures, Government is also taking promotional initiatives which inter-alia include:-

1.	Organisation of conference on safety in Mines.	2.	National Safety Awards,	3.	Vocational Training.	4.	Observance of Safety weeks, compaigns etc.	5.	Holding of First Aid and Rescue Competition.	6.	Participation of workers in Safety management.	7.	Self Regulation by management.	8.	Imparting of training to the inspecting staff in advanced	countries to update their functional capabilities.