(a) whether the Government has proposed any guidelines to ensure safety and security in coal mines across the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether a large number of accidents and deaths are taking place in coal mines due to vertical extractions of coal; and
(d) if so, the details of the steps taken/being taken to reduce the number of accidents and deaths taking place in the coal mines?
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COAL (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)
(a)&(b): Yes, there are guidelines issued by the Government for ensuring the safety in coal mines of the country. Safety, health and welfare of persons employed in the mines are dealt with under the Mines Act, 1952, Rule and Regulations made thereunder. Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India administers this Act for ensuring safety in the mines in the country. Provisions of the Coal Mines Regulation, 2017 stipulates safety and security in the coal mines across the country. This is reviewed from time to time based on inputs from various organizations and accordingly it is amended. The last amendment was made in 2017.
(c)&(d): No accidents and fatalities (deaths) have taken place due to vertical extraction of coal in recent years. Further, vertical extraction of coal is not practiced in the Opencast (OC) mines of Coal India Ltd. (CIL) and its subsidiaries. All OC mines are operated as per the relevant statutes and stipulated conditions laid down in the DGMS permission for extraction of coal.
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