Question : SAFETY AUDIT OF COAL MINES

(a) whether Coal India Limited (CIL) has made safety audit of each coal mine mandatory at regular interval;

(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the norms fixed by CIL for safety audit and the extent to which coal mining will become safe on application of these norms;

(c) the details of the infrastructure likely to be set up in various mines for implementation of safety audit of CIL mines in the country and the details of expenditure likely to be incurred therein;

(d) whether the Safety Committee of CIL has made any suggestions in this regard and if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the said suggestions have been implemented;

(f) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government in this regard; and (g) if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL (SHRI PRATIK PRAKASHBAPU PATIL)

(a)&(b). No, Sir. It is not mandatory to conduct safety audit at regular intervals as per statute. However, in CIL, Safety Audit is conducted in mines of CIL from time to time to find out the status of safety of mine apart from compliance of statutory provisions regarding safety. Subsidiary-wise status of last safety audit conducted in CIL is given below :

ECL: 2007-08
BCCL: 2007-08 and next round of safety audit is under process
CCL : 2008-09
NCL: 2011-12 (Internal Audit)
WCL: 2005-06
SECL: 2007-08
MCL: 2009-10 (OC Mines) & 2011-12(UG) Mines.